Moonsub x Partners Coffee

The newest addition to our merchandise lineup features the unique illustrations of Moonsub, a Seoul-based artist known for his hand-drawn cup art featuring illustrated snapshots of the cafes he visits.

Working on this project with Moonsub was genuinely such a joy. The idea for this collaboration came together naturally during an internal chat about how fun it would be to create a series celebrating our cafe storefronts. Each Partners cafe has its own charm, and we wanted a way to share those memories and that sense of place with everyone at home.

We immediately thought of Moonsub when talking about who we should work with. He’s been a longtime friend and partner of ours, and we were actually his first client back when he lived in NYC, so reconnecting for this project felt especially meaningful.

The project unfolded over about twelve weeks, beginning with a call to talk through the vision for the Cafe Series. Since he’s based in Seoul, Moonsub worked off a mix of reference photos I took and his own memories of time spent in our stores. After a few rounds of sketches and conversations, he shared several versions with us, and we landed on one that just clicked. From there, we partnered with Kinto to bring these illustrations to life on their Diner Mugs, which we first enjoyed as the base for our Original Partners x Kinto Diner Mugs.

Recently, Moonsub has been working on a new Storefront Series highlighting the cafes he visits around the world. While I was in Seoul earlier this month, I had the honor of watching him draw in real time, effortlessly sketching a scene as we sat together over coffee. It was one of those moments where you’re reminded of just how special and talented someone can truly be.

This collaboration was such a fun, heart-warming project for all of us, and I hope you enjoy the Cafe Series as much as we do.

• Moonsub x Partners Diner Mug (available soon!)
• Original Partners x Kinto Diner Mug
• Moonsub Instagram
• Our Cafes

Have a suggestion on who you think we should collab with next?

Send an email to our team at hello@partnerscoffee.com.