Stephan Desouches: Meet The designer behind the Wild, Healthy, Natural Rivers collection
“My creative practice is heavily rooted in the natural world, and I am so excited to collaborate with The Rivers Trust and contribute to revitalizing their merchandise line.”
25/06/26
In 2026, graphic designer Stephan Desouches joined The Rivers Trust to help create some fantastic, bold new designs for our teeshirt store, which raises funds to support our work. In his own words, Stephan shares the inspiration behind his creative process.
I am so excited to collaborate with The Rivers Trust and contribute to revitalising their merchandise line. Their mission to restore and protect rivers across the UK and Ireland immediately resonated with me, both personally and professionally. Having worked in watershed protection, environmental regulation, and natural resource enforcement, I’ve seen firsthand how critical healthy rivers are - not only for wildlife and ecosystems, but for the people and communities that depend on them. The Rivers Trust’s collaborative model reflects an approach to conservation I strongly believe in, making this project especially meaningful to me.
My creative practice is heavily rooted in the natural world. I’m consistently inspired by wildlife, landscapes, and outdoor adventure recreation, and those themes are central to my illustration style. The designs I developed for this project draw on bold, graphic compositions and nature-based storytelling, influenced by linocut and hand-drawn aesthetics. I wanted to create visuals that felt both modern and timeless - artwork that supporters would be proud to wear while showcasing the identity and mission of The Rivers Trust. At the same time, I ensured the designs were adaptable across merchandise formats, allowing them to function effectively on apparel, wall art (posters), stickers and more, while also supporting broader storytelling and outreach.
Protecting rivers is something I truly care about. Throughout my career, I’ve worked to safeguard wetlands, waterways, and natural resources, and I’ve come to understand how interconnected these systems are with human health, economic resilience, and community wellbeing. Rivers are not isolated features - they are lifelines that connect landscapes, sustain biodiversity, and shape the places we live. When they are degraded, the impacts are far-reaching. When they are degraded, so are we.
Through this work, I wanted to create more than just visually engaging designs - I wanted to help foster a sense of connection. My goal was to evoke appreciation for wild, healthy, natural rivers and to remind people of the role we all play in protecting them. If these designs can inspire even a small moment of awareness or pride in supporting river conservation, they’ve done their job. Contributing in a creative way to The Rivers Trust’s important work is something I value greatly, and I’m proud to support an organisation that continues to advocate for healthy rivers and thriving natural environments.
- Stephan Desouches
Ambassador-approved
Team GB Rower and Olympic Champion, Dr Imogen Grant MBE, wears our Men's Fit, Wild, Healthy, Natural Rivers design in sky blue with the design on the front.
“This tee is for wild, healthy, natural rivers - something that we should all want! It’s good for the planet, it’s good for wildlife, and it’s good for our longevity.”
