Creating Cubbie

Cubbie’s development

Sometimes, the best ideas happen by accident. That's how Cubbie came to be. With Bristol Pride only weeks away, I was rushing to make special tees for my husband and me to celebrate our first Pride in style. Time was ticking away fast, and I needed a creative solution.

I turned to my newest tool: Generative AI. I'd been experimenting with it for work, but this felt different—more personal, more meaningful. I crafted my prompt carefully, hit enter, and held my breath. And there he was: Cubbie, smiling back at me from the screen. It was a promising start, but I knew I could make him even better. I opened Illustrator and got to work.

Finding Cubbie's style

Cubbie's look draws from two worlds I love. There's the bold confidence of American sports team logos, but there's also pure Disney magic in his DNA. Disney’s Gummi Bears left an indelible mark on my artistic style. Those rounded edges and expressive eyes? That's my childhood showing through.

Cubbie is more than just cute—he's my 18-year-old self, fresh out of the closet and starting uni. He’s fun, cheeky and perhaps a bit too sure of himself. I remember those days vividly, stumbling around in the dark, trying to figure out who I was and where I belonged. Cubbie represents that journey, but with the confidence I wish I'd had back then.

Creating him was different from my usual work. Instead of simplifying complex ideas, I found myself adding layers of detail—each tuft of fur, each subtle expression. Every decision felt crucial: Should his ears be rounder? His smile wider? I wanted cubs looking at Cubbie to think, "Yeah, that could be me."

I wasn't sure how people would react when I finally shared him online. What if people thought it was silly or didn’t like my work? But the response was overwhelming—people DM’d me asking if I did tees. One message particularly touched me—an old friend called after seeing Cubbie, sparking a conversation we'd needed to have for years.

Cubbie clothing and apparel (from left to right: pin, tee and sticker)

Building a furry family

This outpouring of support inspired me to do something bonkers, transform a simple design into something bigger: a brand celebrating our community in all its furry, cuddly glory—Cubbie & Co.

The first time I wore a Cubbie & Co. tee, my heart nearly burst. Seeing my art printed on fabric felt surreal—I'd transformed ones and zeros into something I could touch and wear. My emotions took me by surprise. I felt a deep sense of pride for what I'd created.

Cubbie is just the start. I've got plans for a whole cast of characters, each representing different aspects of our community—different body types, different experiences, different stories waiting to be told. They're all parts of me, ready to be shared.

In a gay world that often overlooks thick, hairy guys in favour of slim and smooth ideals, Cubbie stands as a cuddly rebel. He's here to remind everyone that real bodies deserve celebration. He's a furry, friendly face saying, "Hey, you belong here too."

So here's to Cubbie, proudly reminding everyone who wears XL or bigger that they're perfect as they are. In Cubbie's world—everybody is beautiful. Every bear and every cub belongs. And that's something worth celebrating, not just at Pride, but every single day.