Friends of KHOY: Uma from Biarritz, France

On slow creating, quiet moments, and giving objects a second life

Some people build businesses. Others build worlds.

Uma, the founder of Umamade, does both.

Based in Biarritz, France, Uma is a textile artist and illustrator. Her work lives somewhere between craftsmanship and storytelling. She creates embroidered artworks, upcycled garments, and playful illustrations filled with colour, humour, and emotion. But more than anything, her work carries a feeling. A slower, softer way of living.

Creating with intention

Umamade didn’t start as a business idea. It started as a need.

“I wanted to create something meaningful with my hands,” Uma says. “Something gentle, intentional, and sustainable.”

While finishing her Master’s degree in Economics, she became deeply interested in the idea of a green economy. At the same time, she was working inside the fashion industry, which gave her a clear view of how things are produced at scale.

That contrast made her question everything.

She started exploring upcycling, transforming existing garments through hand embroidery and giving them a second life with care and creativity. What began as a personal exploration slowly evolved into something bigger.

“I wanted to create a world where I could fully express my artistic universe through textile and storytelling,” she explains. “That’s how Umamade was born.”

The rhythm of slow creating

For Uma, creativity is not something you chase. It’s something you allow.

“Slow creating means enjoying the process and not rushing ideas,” she says. “Like kids, just playing and having fun.”

It’s her way of stepping away from constant pressure and expectations. Instead of forcing productivity, she focuses on staying connected to herself and letting intuition guide the pace.

“For me, it’s about protecting both quality and joy.”

Where ideas come from

Uma’s ideas often appear in quiet, simple moments.

At home. In a local café. Watching how light moves across a room, or noticing small gestures in people and animals around her.

“I feel most creative when everything feels calm,” she says.

She works from her home studio, which she describes as a small bubble of her own. The atmosphere matters. The objects, the materials, the details, even the way light enters the space all shape her imagination.

“Creativity doesn’t come from noise or rush. It comes from stillness and observation.”

Rest is part of the process

Uma also makes space for something many people overlook.

Rest.

“Yes, I take naps,” she says.

For her, rest is not separate from creativity. It is part of it.

“Some of my best ideas come when I allow myself to pause. We should normalise rest. It’s essential for our well-being and for creating with intention.”

A slower way forward

For anyone feeling overwhelmed by work and constant busyness, her advice is simple.

“Don’t feel bad about slowing down. Create space. Remove what feels unnecessary. Make room for calm.”

Because sustainable creativity, like sustainable living, is not about doing more.

It’s about doing what matters, better.

Why KHOY

“The spaces we live in shape how we think and create.”

For Uma, a sofa is more than just furniture. It is where ideas are sketched, books are read, conversations happen, and sometimes where nothing happens at all.

“For a long time, I searched for the perfect sofa that becomes a bed, but is also made sustainably.”

That is why KHOY feels like a natural fit.

“It represents comfort with intention. And that balance feels very aligned with my philosophy of slow, thoughtful living.”

Find the full interview in our Instagram post.