Sophia & Matteo of Underdog Designs.

If you know me, you know I'm in love with love. All kinds of it. Universal love, self-love, and romantic love. It blooms like pink tulips in the Springtime. I see it like innocence, sweetness, gentleness flowing. Sometimes, this idea can falter in the eyes of those who have lost love. And I guess that's what I love about youthful love. It's incredibly refreshing, it's freeing, it's a new experience. It's wondrous and explorative. Sometimes, in my head, I think romance is so distant for a young soul like me. But love is wild, and you never know where it will take you. That is how I see it, yet it's different in everyone's eyes. 

I'd like to introduce you to the co-business owners of Underdog Designs, Sophia and Matteo. I met Sophia early last year in a drawing class we took together. Her heart is original, and very much made of liquid gold. And I met Matteo in a personal finance class, though never truly spoke to him. But, I saw him and Sophia wandering the halls (yes, like in the movies), and they project such positive energy together. Anyone passing by could feel it. I asked the two a few questions about their business and love, and what they came up with was absolute magic. Please, meet the creative minds behind Underdog Designs. 

Tell us a bit about your brand. Where did Underdog Designs begin?

Underdog Designs began in class one day, when I was bored and doodling in class back in late November. Realizing that some of the doodles may have potential, I showed them to Matteo, and told him about my idea for him to turn my doodles into stickers through graphic design, as he is very talented with Illustrator and Photoshop. As making custom stickers became very extensive and much work with very little profit, Matteo had an idea of expanding into the field of making shirts, which sparked us to start our own Instagram officially and show our business to the world :)

What album/song do you have on repeat?

An album that you can always hear us both listening to on repeat is 2 by Mac Demarco, or really any Mac Demarco album. 

If you could see anyone wearing Underdog Designs, who and why?

Oh this one's hard. I think that I'd love to see Leonardo DiCaprio in Underdog Designs. He's such an influential person in the world, and I think it'd be cool seeing him in one of our shirts. Otherwise, on a more tangible level, I think that just seeing Staples students in our clothing would be awesome, especially someone that we don't know too well, I think that'd be cool. 

If you could travel anywhere together, where would you go and why?

If we were to travel to any place together, it would 100% be Montana. Underdog Designs was started in order to collect and save money to travel to Montana together during the summer, before Matteo moves to Miami and I go to Skidmore. We would travel to Montana because we both love to hike, explore, bike, and do really anything involving nature, and we both agree that Montana has every aspect of nature and beauty that we would love to be around. 

If you were to explain each other in five worlds, what would they be?

Sophia: Matteo is definitely hands down, the most selfless person I know; he is so in touch with his feelings and has a true passion and obligation that he feels he needs to always help and be there for everyone, which is a quality so rare and appreciated. Matteo has worked to a point where he is completely true with himself and completely fine with not being a typical Westport guy, as he'd rather stay home and make music or art than go to a party any day; he is a very rare find in every sense possible. So in five words, Matteo is selfless, passionate, rare, deep, and uniquely creative. 

Matteo: Sophia is real. No way around it. She does not bullshit at all. She speaks her mind and has a very strong passion and belief behind her ideas. She is not like every Westporter either; she does not care about physical possessions or how much stuff she has, she just cares about the meaning behind her things. She doesn't like receiving gifts (which sucks because I love giving them), and she doesn't need the "newest thing." She loves everything she has in the current moment because they have meaning and memories behind it. She'd rather receive handmade gifts than store-bought gifts. (sorry this wasn't 5 words) Real, passionate, creative, motivational, beautiful. 

If you could say one thing to each other in this moment, what would it be?

Sophia: What I would say to Matteo in this moment is that I love him very much, and that I'm sorry for every flaw of mine that he puts up with everyday, and I would thank him, as he never fails at standing by my side and helping me through anything, always. 

Matteo: I would say I love her so much, and thank her for always making me feel comfortable, and also apologize for being annoying, and I would reassure her that she is flawless in my eyes. 

In each of your eyes, how would you define love?

In Sophia's eyes: I describe love as the only thing in life that is completely unconditional, and has nothing to do with the way one physically appears, but everything to do with what that person says, feels, cares about; everything in their soul. Love is when no matter what you're doing, that other person is constantly on your mind, and you always miss their presence when they're not around. 

In Matteo's eyes: Yeah, I completely agree with Sophia. I think it's an unconditional feeling of attraction to someone, for who they are. It's a holistic attraction towards someone. I think it goes even beyond unconditional, I think it's unwavering too. Like if you get in an argument, I think that love is the thing that will bring you back together and make everything OK. Through thick and thin, it's the force that keeps people together. 

What I want Sophia and Matteo to know is that love has the power to influence others, and their love has more than definitely influenced me so positively. I nearly teared up while reading the responses, for they captured such raw emotion within one another. If it has influenced me, there is no doubt that they've influenced others as well. Their hearts are intertwined, and they're unusual in a most lovely way. The two of them are art pieces, movie characters in reality, dancers in a pas de deux, and completely and absolutely beautiful hearts. Love bugs ;) 

For everyone, remember how alive love is. It is all around you, just allow yourself to see it. Capture that glimpse like sunlight between trees, and feel it seep into your bones. Love has set me in a hazy pink dream. It's everlasting. Thank you to Sophia and Matteo for sharing their hearts with us. Much love. Also, can I buy a shirt?

Follow Underdog Designs on Instagram. 

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