ESTEL STUDIOS X SCRT®

Recently we caught up with Estel Studios to chat artistic backgrounds and to explore the creative process behind crafting the souls-like 3D reimagining of Redchurch Street, our recent collaboration. 

Hey Benny, it’s been great collaborating with you. Can you tell us a bit more about yourself?

Thanks guys, it's been a dream come true! I'm a 21-year-old queer, multidisciplinary 3D artist. I hate the term multidisciplinary, but it’s the easiest way to describe what I do, since I handle every aspect of 3D myself, especially while building this game solo. I recently graduated from the London College of Fashion, where I taught myself 3D alongside my course. My creative practice is called Estel, named after the Elvish word for "hope" and as a tribute to Steven Universe—specifically Estelle, who plays Garnet.

Anything in particular that drew you to designing games?

Video games have always been a huge part of my life. I actually wrote my dissertation on ‘how video games allowed for escapism and expressionism growing up as a queer person’ so from that I’m sure you can gather the impact video games have had on me. I see video games as one of the best art forms, with incredible characters and storytelling, something that’s finally being recognised through the success of game-based films and TV. For me however, it’s always been the love for characters, leading me to pursue a master’s in character art for video games—combining my love for fashion and bold, imaginative design.

Can you talk us through the process behind designing your game?

The journey started just over a year ago as part of my graduate work. We had to pick a brand we loved—SCRT was the obvious choice—and create a proposal. I pitched the idea of a video game exhibition, which after researching, I realised nothing like it had been done before, which was really exciting. After graduating, the SCRT team saw my project, and we set up a meeting to turn it into a reality. The process was pretty technical, but here’s the simplified version: I started by gathering references and creating a blockout of the store and Redchurch Street. Then I built all the assets—everything from clothing rails and lighting to plug sockets. I recreated the clothing using Marvellous Designer, based on the patterns you provided, and brought it all into Unreal Engine. From there, I added the clothes to the protagonist and built out the actual game after finalising the characters and environment. That’s the short version of a very long, detailed process!

Any artists/creators that inspire you?

Honestly, the list of artists and creators who inspire me is endless. But the first name that comes to mind is @Intranetgirl—she was my gateway into 3D. While most people start with the classic donut tutorial series (which is great!), it was Intra's tutorials that really clicked for me. She made 3D feel accessible, and she continues to inspire me daily—an absolute GOAT in the space. Another early influence was Susuke. I found his work when I was just starting out, and it helped me figure out which parts of the vast 3D world I wanted to hone in on. Then there’s Offgod, who's constantly pushing creative boundaries—he needs no explanation, just pure inspiration. Of course, SCRT has been a massive inspiration too. I’ve been a fan since I was 16 and stumbled into your Redchurch Street store—I basically never left. Creating this project with you has been a surreal full-circle moment. A slightly unexpected but huge inspiration is Little Simz. Her music has been the soundtrack to this entire project—from blockout to completion. Video games, of course, are a huge part of my creative fuel. The range of games I play is huge, but some that have really shaped me include The Souls Games, Ghost of Tsushima, Overwatch, Assassin’s Creed, Pokémon, and Baldur’s Gate 3. All of these inspired me in one way or the other. Lastly, a few creators whose content I couldn’t have done this without: Max Hay, Archfiendco, Jess Wiseman, Mecatommy, KeelanJon, and Bryan Huynh—just to name a few from a long list. And most importantly, my best friend Liz. She’s always been my gaming duo and style twin. Her constant support—and our shared love for games and fashion—is a big reason the main character in my game is a woman. She’ll probably never stop hearing me thank her for every project I do.

Plans for the future?

My future plans are pretty open-ended, which is exciting. Right now, I’m putting this project into a PDF portfolio to start applying for creative roles—anything in 3D, gaming, or fashion related. As long as it’s creative, I’m in. I'm also continuing my master’s in character art for video games, which could lead to something exciting. At the same time, I want to grow my Goofies—the little figurines I design. I’d love to start selling them, whether through custom orders or more widely. Mostly, I’m on the lookout for the next wild, creative project—something that brings together fashion, games, and 3D in unexpected ways. I just want to keep making cool stuff that looks good and feels fun. So yeah—stay tuned!

All time favourite Film?

That’s such a tough one—I have a few favourites for different moods. My go-to feel-good 2000s film is Legally Blonde—it's iconic and never fails to lift my spirits. But if I had to pick an all-time favourite, it would be Everything Everywhere All At Once. It was such a moment for me—the visuals, the storytelling, the chaos. I’d never seen anything like it. It was hilarious, emotional, and completely wild. I actually saw it in the cinema, then went home and rewatched it, and then saw it again a couple weeks later. It just tells such a powerful story—about family, identity, queerness—all while being totally unhinged in the best way. Definitely my number one.