The Making of Princess Ida
Written by: Anna Barker, Cofounder
From real life inspiration to our newest collection, Princess Ida is a celebration of imagination, childhood creativity, and a very special girl who shaped Glo Pals from the very beginning.
For years, we've received feedback requesting a pink Glo Pals character. When we finally decided to explore the idea, we played around with dozens of potential concepts, drafting up design sketches of different characters and critters before landing on the idea of making a princess. It seemed the most fitting to create a new character that could expand the Glo Pals world and offered an opportunity to add a new addition to the Light-Up Library.
When the time came to name our new Princess Pal, we brainstormed countless names but none felt quite right. When we finally landed on Princess Ida, almost jokingly at the start, it immediately clicked for me. What could be better than pulling inspiration from the real-life kids that shape the Glo Pals?
Ida grew up around our office in the early days of the company, tagging along with her mom, Brittany Dowell, one of the very first creatives to join our team. While we were designing products, brainstorming new ideas, and building the early stages of a startup, Ida was right there with us. She was even given the title of 'creative baby genius' as she sat in during meetings and jumped in to any impromptu photoshoot.
Princess Ida isn’t just inspired by Ida’s name, she also mirrors her spirit. Ida loves all things pink, she's a friend to any animal she meets, and she has just as vivid an imagination. Even Princess Ida’s fluffy, mischievous companion, Snowball, was named after Ida's beloved first pet hamster.
Brittney was a part of our team on the day we launched Glo Pals in January 2018. She and Ida played a huge role in the brand development, product inspiration, and creative direction over the next +6 years as we watched Ida grow up. Their family has since moved to Colorado, but we keep in touch through life's seasonal updates, pen pal letters, and the occasional ice skating playdate.
This project has been a touching reflection point to look back, not only on our time with Brittney and Ida, but on all of the amazing people that have been a part of our journey along the way.
Princess Ida is our love letter to imagination, childhood wonder, and the kids who grow up alongside us as we build something meaningful. She’s proof that inspiration can come from the smallest voices and represents the magical adventures we can create by seeing the world through the eyes of a child.
