We’ve had this Q&A with Vanilla sitting quietly in the 2025 archives for some time now. While revisiting content ideas for the year, it resurfaced—still as raw, honest, and resonant as when it was first captured.
In the spirit of “better late than never,” we’re finally sharing this artist spotlight featuring the beautiful Vanilla Arucan. There’s something timeless about her voice and perspective, and we hope you find as much meaning in this conversation as we did.
Enjoy our interview with her. ✨
Taken from a photobooth at an Ace Hotel
ALIN MEDALLA: Hi Vanilla! Please introduce yourself — tell us a bit about who you are and what you do.
VANILLA ARUCAN: Hi! I’m Vanilla Arucan. I’m a designer and archivist. I also consider myself a hobbyist, often dabbling into different craft projects as a way to get my hands dirty.
All set! Transit Polar Flexicubes in Matcha 🍵
ALIN: What drew you to collaborate with us at Spacetastic for Transit?
VANILLA: I’ve been a longtime user of Spacetastic packing cubes and have brought them with me on many trips in the past so when I was invited to create designs for the collection, it was a delight and an easy yes. The Flexicube embodies everything I look for in a functional product, and it’s thoughtfully made for travelers. Our collection really is a meeting of creativity and function, and I hope people feel the same way about it too.
A Solar & Polar study
ALIN: Can you walk us through your inspiration and creative process behind the Solar and Polar designs?
VANILLA: At its core, Solar & Polar was born from an insight shared (by you from) a Spacetastic customer who mentioned pairing their packing cubes based on the season of where they’re traveling to. Solar is for tropical and sun-soaked trips; think beaches, sweat, and palm trees. Polar is for colder escapes: moody skies, falling leaves, mountain hikes, and puffer jackets. But really packing cubes are non-seasonal so use them whenever :)
Mixed paper scan
ALIN: What stories or feelings did you want each design to evoke?
VANILLA: The designs are paper scrap collages ✂️ turned into embroidery. If there’s a story I'd like for it to evoke, it’s to embrace organized chaos! Collages themselves have endless permutations, quite similar to traveling. You can create a perfect itinerary but also leave room for detours, changes, and experiences that make a trip feel more textured and memorable.
Some of my travel essentials
ALIN: If any, what’s your favorite Flexicube color and illustration from the Transit collection? How did you Make It Yours aka what's your embroidery combo?
VANILLA: Tough question, I love them all equally! But for my personal set, I chose Polar in Matcha. I added my signature “VA” embroidery in the Compagnon Bold script font. I love that the script adds an extra touch of whimsy.
My workspace
ALIN: As an artist, what does “being in motion” mean to you?
VANILLA: I’m by no means a scientist but I internalize Newton’s First Law of Motion to heart. “A body in motion, stays in motion.” I think about this during long runs when I convince myself not to stop. I think about it too in my creative practice, during days where I have deadlines to meet. Don’t get me wrong, I’m a firm believer of rest and clocking in 8 hours of sleep. But generally, I also value the grit of powering through. Keep going, keep creating. It’s all there is to it.
Japan <3
ALIN: What’s your favorite travel destination — and what makes it special?
VANILLA: Right now the answer is Japan. New Zealand is a close contender. But mainly Japan because this is where I started my solo trip journey (now clocking in my third solo trip here!). It has taught me a lot about my independence, loving my own company, putting myself out there to meet new people, and appreciating and respecting a culture that isn’t your own. You’ll also never know how strong you are until you’re solo travelling during winter, and mistakenly find yourself in a station that has nothing but stairs and having to carry your 25-kilo luggage all the way up. Haha!
My 'just-in-case' bag
ALIN: Any travel essentials or packing tips you swear by?
VANILLA: Growing up, my mom always told us to pack a “just in case” bag. This is usually a lightweight, foldable duffel. It’s exactly what it sounds like… something to pull out just in case your luggage is overweight and you need a bag to transfer items in. In my case, it once came in handy when two friends and I missed our baggage check-in and had to leave our suitcases in an airport locker. We survived a three-night trip in Niseko with a shared duffel, just a haphazard mix of our clothes stuffed in at the last minute.
ALIN: Iykyk.
Window seat, always
ALIN: Where are you hoping to travel next?
VANILLA: I’m traveling to Vietnam soon. I’ll be there to participate in the Ha Long Bay Heritage Run. It’s my third time in the country and my first international half marathon.
💌
ALIN: Last question! And when you’re not traveling or creating art, what do you love to do?
VANILLA: You’ll catch me on a run or writing postcards to a community of mail lovers through Postcrossing.
Discover more about TRANSIT, a creative meeting of function and feeling at spacetastictravels.com and The Travel Club (@thetravelclubph @thetravelclubplus) stores near you ✨
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