Reusable Bag
Project: Fearless Flyer Reusable Bag
Role: Illustrator, Designer
This reusable bag was meant to give a proper spotlight to one of Trader Joe’s most eccentric brand characters: the Fearless Flyer mascot. I wanted to create a hero piece that made shoppers not just notice him—but remember him. The idea was rooted in the playful collage chaos of Terry Gilliam’s Monty Python animations—equal parts satire, storytelling, and visual overload.
Sketch Time
In the Trader Joe’s world, the Fearless Flyer is a recurring face in print, on crew t-shirts (some of which I also designed), and always somewhere in the mix of product storytelling. For this bag, I imagined that he’d literally stowed away inside a shopper’s groceries—tumbling around with produce, sneaking sips, and getting squished by canned goods.
Hidden Gems
One of my favorite things to sneak into projects like this is a hidden surprise—something a little silly, maybe even pointless at first glance. The bottom panel of the bag is exactly that: Fearless giving bag-packing instructions on the one part of the bag you’ll almost never see. It’s a throwaway joke, but it rewards curiosity and adds charm. Those small, unexpected moments help deepen the connection between brand and shopper.
Final Art
This bag was equal parts visual chaos and character-driven storytelling, packed with nods to beloved TJ’s products and the ever-weird, always-charming Fearless Flyer. From the layered layout to the hidden punchline on the bottom panel, it’s a piece that invites a second (or third) look. While it never made it to production, it remains one of my favorite expressions of what makes Trader Joe’s… Trader Joe’s.
