monty charlotte preston



Product Designer 

I help brands translate complex ideas into approachable, consumable products through storytelling, cultural strategy and design thinking.

I have over a decade of experience in curation, creative production, sales, copywriting, merchandising and product marketing at startups democratizing luxury goods. I’ve worked on marketplaces, editorial product releases, and designed community-driven experiences in art and tech for clients including Saatchi Art, Ledger, Boys Club, and Cohart. My work has shown up in NYT and Elle Decor, and I’ve written about art and emerging technologies.


Client Work
  1. Ledger
  2. Boys Club Zine
  3. Biometric Wearables
  4. The Other Avatars


Personal Work
  1. BAGGS
  2. Snuffy
  3. Entangle! (MFA Thesis)


Contact


    Snuffy

    Snuffy


    The Blanket That Transforms When Your World Does



    SNUFFY is a comforting throw blanket that transforms into a fire-resistant evacuation jacket for wildfire emergencies. Leveraging sustainable materials and no-tech solutions, SNUFFY is a smart device hiding in plain sight. Approachable, open-source pattern design allows parents anywhere to create a SNUFFY. Emboldening color and patch designs empower kids to rise to the occasion.  



    Duration:

    March-April, 2025

    Advisors:

    TomorrowLabs
    Team:

    Lauren Palazzi: Brand Direction, Prototyping
    Monty Preston: Problem Research, Strategy, Prototyping, Photography
    Haosen Zhang: Prototyping, Materials Research, Brand Mark





    Photo by Isadora Kosofsky for The New York Times





    Research & Background: 

    It’s not easy being a kid today.
    With climate disasters on the rise, children are forced to deal with dramatic life changes, including loss of home, possessions, and displacement from community. Studies show that “young survivors of weather-related disasters report high rates of PTSD, depression, sleep deficits, and learning issues.” (Harvard Medicine).

    Wildfires will continue to be an increasing threat, with projections putting global wildfire growth upwards of 30% by 2050.  Traveling and burning a football field per second, wildfires creates challenges for government warning systems which aren't always timely or effective.

    I analyzed news footage, written and recorded interviews, combed through social media videos, and read blog accounts from wildfire survivors, firefighters, police, park rangers, and scientists. From these first-hand accounts, we identified 3 major threats to children which we prioritized in our designs: radiant heat, flying embers, and smoke inhalation.








    Form Exploration: 

    How might we hide emergency preparedness solutions inside 
    daily-use items to make them commonplace?


    Knowing the speed at which wildfires arrive, we wanted a solution that would be readily accessible, and useful even in everyday, non-emergency situations. We decided to create a tranforming blanket that could be used daily in its basic form at home, taken camping, or stored in the car. 

    We moved between sketches on paper and prototypes in fabric, which allowed us to explore different forms, patterns, and functions for the SNUFFY.









    Materials & Features:

    Designed with the Journey in Mind


    SNUFFY is made from wool: naturally fire retardant and thermoregulating. A large hood with a securable face cover protects the head and neck from flying embers and smoke inhalation.

    SNUFFY has 4 utility pockets, for (1) an N95 mask, (2) ID and medical info cards, (3) a tile locator device, and (4) a keepsake item.  Retro-reflective patches increase visibility in heavy smoke.

    Drawstrings at the wrist secure the sleeves in place accommodating a range of arm lengths.     









    Functionality

    The Ultimate Security Blanket



    SNUFFY transforms between blanket-state and jacket state in an efficient and straightforward process, guided by color-coded snaps (buttons seen here are representative of snaps only). Sewn-in magnets help secure flaps together and reduce the need for excessive snaps.



    Top: SNUFFY prototype front and back.  Bottom: SNUFFY transformation process: unfold, remove panels, attach like-colored snaps, pull on overhead. Pockets store an N95, keepsake item, and medical information or ID cards.



    DIY Friendly

    Open-Source by Design
    Sew your own SNUFFY jacket. Download the open-source blanket-to-jacket pattern, and start talking to your children about emergency preparedness today (pattern coming soon).








    ~ Thanks for stopping by ~