What’s lufuluv?

Lufuluv was created by designer Karen Deer. “Lufu” means “love” in old English. Given intent to create a brand based on positivity lufuluv was the perfect expression of that.

About the Artist

A passionate and innovative designer leveraging hand-drawn techniques and the latest technology innovations, she offers inspiring art for design licensing across categories including fashion, textiles, stationery, and home decor. Ms. Deer presently excels as the artist and founder of Lufuluv LLC. Using custom illustration, photography, typography, and surface design, Ms. Deer creates beautiful designs inspired by nature, travel, and lore. Since establishing her company, she has launched an e-commerce site integrating WordPress, Printify, and Woocommerce, developed a portfolio of 2D designs, and automated social media marketing initiatives using artificial intelligence. She is also experimenting with 3D printing and AI-assisted 3D modeling techniques to create an eco-friendly, circular economic model for home decor and event accessories. She has overseen several homes’ successful remodel, decoration, and resale, including a 5-star rated AirBnB in Joshua Tree, CA. Her passion for home decor extends to her work in Lufuluv, LLC, to share her uniquely appealing design aesthetic.

Before founding her company, Ms. Deer worked as a senior product management consultant at Silicon Valley Bank and as the vice president of product management at City National Bank, where she oversaw a $5 million budget as the journey owner for the business banking platform. She leverages methodologies like Design Thinking, Lean-Agile, and SAFe to motivate high-performing teams and deliver delightful digital experiences across the web and mobile. Over the years, Ms. Deer honed her product management skills with companies such as Walt Disney Imagineering, GrayMeta, ADP, and Green Dot Corporation. Early in her career, she got her start designing websites, branding, illustration, and User Experience design for prominent entertainment companies, including MTV, Blizzard, and the NBA, to name a few. At MySpace, she created a new audition platform and ran the first online audition for the 10th season of American Idol, which received more than 16,000 entries. 

She has prided herself on giving back to the community through work with various non-profits and causes she cares about. She designed the Armory Center for the Arts website through a Taproot Foundation project, providing pro-bono UX design for this arts organization. Ms. Deer has contributed to her community as a member of the advisory committee for Mercy College’s Women in Leadership Program and as a volunteer for Kids with Cameras. She has also implemented after-school programming teaching STEAM concepts like coding to kids, with special programs dedicated to empowering girls in technology. Partnering with the Apple Store, she led technology classes to kids from underserved populations.

An expert in her field, Ms. Deer holds a Bachelor of Science in fine and studio arts from New York University, which she earned in 2000. Subsequently, she expanded upon her professional knowledge by acquiring a product management certification through the Scrum Alliance. 

While proud of her career highlights, she takes the most pride in her role as a mother to teenage daughter Keira and labradoodle Zuzu. The cornerstone of her success lies in her hard work, ingenuity, education, and the network she has built over the years. Looking ahead, Ms. Deer aims to expand Lufuluv, LLC with licensing deals, mentor women in business, expand her skillset in artificial intelligence-enhanced workflows, and finish a professional certification in Design and Manufacturing at MIT.