Meet illustrator, designer, and visual storyteller Klaartje Busselot! From editorials for ELLE Magazine to carpet collections and book covers: her energetic, feminine style, bursting with color, is reflected everywhere. Especially for CKS, she translated recognizable situations into unique cards and a limited edition capsule collection. We asked her about her sources of inspiration, her career, and her collaboration with CKS.

Meet illustrator, designer, and visual storyteller Klaartje Busselot! From editorials for ELLE Magazine to carpet collections and book covers: her energetic, feminine style, bursting with color, is reflected everywhere. Especially for CKS, she translated recognizable situations into unique cards and a limited edition capsule collection. We asked her about her sources of inspiration, her career, and her collaboration with CKS.

When someone says, "I feel like myself in this piece," or "This print makes me want to express myself more loudly," that's when I'm happy. But I enjoy it just as much when someone simply smiles. When you see my work and think: yes, this does something for me something. If my work plays a part in that, even if it's just a little boost or a warm feeling, then that's more than enough for me.

When someone says, "I feel like myself in this piece," or "This print makes me want to express myself more loudly," that's when I'm happy. But I enjoy it just as much when someone simply smiles. When you see my work and think, yes, this does something for me something. If my work plays a part in that, even if it's just a little boost or a warm feeling, then that's more than enough for me.

For me, inspiration almost always starts with a feeling. Something I experience myself, something that touches me or makes me smile. My work is often a little autobiographical, sometimes literally, sometimes in atmosphere. I try to translate that feeling into a scene, a posture, a look. So that you, as the viewer, feel it too, even without explanation. I don't work with predetermined palettes. I look, I feel, and I connect. That's what creativity is for me: daring to look at what's already there and seeing something new in it.

For me, inspiration almost always starts with a feeling. Something I experience myself, something that touches me or makes me smile. My work is often a little autobiographical, sometimes literally, sometimes in atmosphere. I try to translate that feeling into a scene, a posture, a glance. So that you, as the viewer, feel it too, even without explanation. I don't work with predetermined palettes. I look, I feel, and I connect. That's what creativity is for me: daring to look at what's already there and seeing something new in it.

The collection revolves around balance, but I don't really believe in work-life balance as something you can define in terms of time or categories. You have one life and it contains everything: work, motherhood, your partner, your mind, your sports, your household. Sometimes it seems as if you have to manage everything perfectly, but real life is more unpredictable than that. And honestly? Thank goodness. You can also see that vision in the designs:

The cocktail glass design is an ode to friendship and celebrating life. We are always on the go, with a coffee in our hands. But sometimes it can be a little more than that. That little moment when you let go and say "yes, why not?", that's what I'm aiming for.

Het ontwerp met het matcha glas op het hoofd, zegt dan weer: Balance is a myth. Keeping life busy is keeping life fun.
Het beeld speelt met de spanning tussen controle en overgave. Soms wil je gewoon even je hoofd neerleggen.

Or as in the third design: pulling that plug out of yourself.
What recharges your batteries? And do you dare to let go?
In my work, I always try to capture small observations that feel like a mirror.
No big revolution, just recognizable scenes that make you smile. If it makes you happy, then it's already a success.

The collection revolves around balance, but I don't really believe in work-life balance as something you can define in terms of time or categories. You have one life and it contains everything: work, motherhood, your partner, your mind, your sports, your household. Sometimes it seems as if you have to manage everything perfectly, but real life is more unpredictable than that. And honestly? Thank goodness. You can also see that vision in the designs:

The cocktail glass design is an ode to friendship and celebrating life. We are always on the go, with a coffee in our hands. But sometimes it can be a little more than that. That little moment when you let go and say "yes, why not?", that's what I'm aiming for.

The design with the matcha glass on the head says: Balance is a myth. Keeping life busy is keeping life fun.
The image plays with the tension between control and surrender. Sometimes you just want to lay your head down.

Or as in the third design: pulling that plug out of yourself. .
What recharges your batteries? And do you dare to let go?
In my work, I always try to capture small observations that feel like a mirror.
No big revolution, just recognizable scenes that make you smile. If it makes you happy, then it's already a success.

If there's one thing I believe in, it's instant happiness. That feeling you get when you see something and it makes you happy right away. And that's exactly what I want to do with my work: bring color, joy, energy, and boldness. CKS and me? We're just a perfect match. Same vibe, same flair.

If there's one thing I believe in, it's instant happiness. That feeling you get when you see something and it makes you happy right away. And that's exactly what I want to do with my work: bring color, joy, energy, and boldness. CKS and me? We're just a perfect match. Same vibe, same flair.

For me, that metaphor isn't a phrase, but an image: the woman in a blazer with two cocktail glasses in her hand. That's how this collaboration felt: professional yet light, focused yet warm. Like a meeting that naturally spills over into a terrace, because it clicks. Because you feel: here, I can be myself. Here, there is space, trust, and fun. That illustration had to be in the collection, for me, for that very reason. It sums it all up: the hard work, the gentleness, the spontaneous celebration. And above all: the human touch. That's what made this collaboration so special to me.

For me, that metaphor is not a sentence, but an image: the woman in a blazer with two cocktail glasses in her hand. That's how this collaboration felt: professional and light, focused and warm. Like a meeting that naturally spills over into a terrace, because it clicks. Because you feel: here I can be myself. Here there is space, trust, and fun. For me, that illustration had to be in the collection, for that very reason. It sums it all up: the hard work, the gentleness, the spontaneous celebration. And above all: the human touch. That's what made this collaboration so special to me.

You will receive an exclusive CKS x Klaartje Busselot card including a €15* discount
with every online purchase and in CKS concept stores.

*€15 discount on the CKS A.W.25 collection per purchase of €100.

You will receive an exclusive CKS x Klaartje Busselot card including a €15* discount
with every online purchase and in CKS concept stores.

*€15 discount on the CKS A.W.25 collection per €100 purchase. .