Intro

As one of my best friends, Malte, spends more and more of his time in Porto, Portugal, I keep getting introduced to a variety of super nice and interesting small brands and stores he comes across. One of them is Softrock.
Malte discovered Softrock at one of his favorite spots in Porto: Out to Lunch (but more on that another time). Softrock is a family-run project that emerged from a collaboration between João Parrinha, a multidisciplinary artist and product designer, and his daughter, Carolina Parrinha, the brand’s artistic director. Recently, Carolina’s sister Laura Parrinha has also joined the family team as the youngest member and is now handling social media. Together, they create soft pieces that visually resemble different types of rocks. Their studio is based in Ericeira, Portugal, where every phase of design and production takes place.

Unfortunately, I haven’t had the chance to visit them there yet, but I’m very happy and grateful that Carolina took the time to chat with me.

All images © SOFTROCK, Teresa Freitas, Manuel Barbosa and João Monteiro.

My takeaways from Carolina pushing visual boundaries with her family project.

Ideas often surface in unexpected contexts

The initial idea for the softrocks came to João unexpectedly while he was working on a commissioned job for an advertising agency. He had to create a set design for a commercial, which required large rocks on site. Out of the need for practicality, João came up with the idea of using an ultra-light material: sponge. He shaped the sponge into rock-like forms and painted them with a realistic, nature-inspired surface. The result was incredibly light and comfortable sponge rocks that looked just like real ones.

João loved the idea so much that he continued developing more pieces for himself, enjoying the process of creating new realities by playing with perception, organic shapes, and natural textures. In the early stages, he collaborated with friends from Germany on a project called Rock Sofa, but no one really had the time to develop the brand to its full potential.

Having followed her father’s work forever and recognizing the potential in the softrocks, Carolina decided to quit her job in 2020 to focus more on her own projects—one of which would be a collaboration with her father.

The freedom of not labelling people and things

As much as João Parrinha is a multidisciplinary artist, product designer, and art director, there is no strict definition or label for his daughter Carolina’s profession either. She studied fine arts but never worked as an artist herself—rather, she has always worked with artists across various fields. Today, she is not only part of Softrock but also runs Pedreira (Portuguese for quarry) an artist residency and cultural association in a large warehouse in Porto, while also collaborating with befriended artists on different projects.

Carolina and João don’t just allow themselves the freedom to dive into whatever projects they enjoy—they have also intentionally left Softrock undefined. Is it artwork? Product design? It’s all of that. And it has the freedom to be whatever they—or we—want it to be, adapting to different collaborations or commissioned projects as needed.

For me, this sense of freedom is at the core of Softrock’s identity. It sparks imagination, invites people to project their own interpretations onto it, and pushes visual boundaries—ultimately leaving it open to the observer to decide what Softrock is for them. And I think that’s so beautiful.

A soft fusion of art and brand

Carolina and her father started their joint project during the pandemic in 2020. After redefining Softrock’s identity, they began creating their own rock pieces to build a catalog—making the product visible and communicable to a wider audience. João crafted ten pieces, which got then photographed for their website. The website was build together with their friends Pedro Mata (design) and Rafael Gonçalves (development).

What I love about Softrock is how they authentically blend art and brand, creating a natural workflow. Carolina is responsible for branding and communication, but she also oversees the entire client interaction and production process. She meets with new clients to understand their needs, relays this information to João, and together they engage in the creative process—discussing ideas and sketching proposals.

Once a project is accepted, Carolina handles everything from logistics and communication to organizing travel and shooting the final pieces, supported by Laura, who is handling social media. Throughout, she remains deeply involved in the creative process, discussing shapes and colors with João.

As an artist, João is the maker of the rocks. Each piece is unique, entirely handmade, and produced only on demand. He sculpts the sponge by hand, then carefully paints it—first applying a primer before using various tools and color shades to create a realistic, textured surface through different techniques.

Softrock’s versatility allows them to conceptualize and adapt—whether for large artistic commissions or single custom pieces. The rocks are soft, lightweight, and comfortable, but above all, they spark imagination.

The beauty of relating or the power of personal involvement

Working together as father and daughter—as family—naturally brings a very personal layer to the collaboration. Carolina, João and Laura get along very well, as they all trust each other’s skills and ideas.

Carolina told me, "We try to keep everything close and familiar, between friends."

This deeply personal approach seems to be at the heart of Softrock. Not only are most of their close collaborators also friends (like the designer and developer of their website), but they also love to build genuine relationships with their clients when working on commissioned pieces.

They communicate directly with clients to truly understand their needs, gaining a full picture of both the requirements and the opportunities of the spaces their rocks are created for. This way, they become deeply involved in the creative process from the very beginning—developing tailor-made solutions together with the client.

Carolina told me that they love offering this kind of personalized service and process. For them, it feels like being part of all the spaces and projects their rocks end up in. They also never actively seek out clients or do acquisitions; instead, all project emerge organically from real connections—with people, with places, with ideas.

Stay True in 2025

The plan for 2025? To become even more themselves. The Softrock brand is getting a little refresh—moving a bit away from its clean, minimal aesthetic towards a more artistic and surreal look that better reflects its core and origins: the way Carolina and João live and work in their studio in Ericeira. Carolina also gave me a sneak peek at an upcoming campaign: #makeyoursoftrock will invite people to submit small rocks, which Softrock will then transform into their own Softrock versions.
I'm excited to follow along and see all the interesting projects and rocks that will emerge. For now, I'm off searching for the perfect rock.