NIKE APPAREL GRAPHIC DESIGN AND EMBELLISHMENT.
I provided the conceptual direction and designed the graphic elements for many, many…many apparel lines.
Graphic Branding Strategy
My work in apparel entailed presenting a branding strategy and executing that strategy through prints, patterns, jock tags, treatments, embroideries, etc. Let's take a look at a "typical" example of this work.
Establish Direction
First, the apparel designer and I would research and present direction for the line. This apparel line is based on vintage Cuban baseball.
Foundational Elements
I would start by designing a set of foundational building blocks. The line had two reads—a general Nike baseball read and a fictional read, rare for Nike, in which I created graphics for four imaginary Cuban baseball teams.
Embellishments
Then shape the blocks into the extended family of graphic embellishments–tees, labels, buttons, zipper pulls, and the like.
Treatments and Detailing
Embellish the love with spice. This particular collection was mid-high-end and allowed me to explore detailing such as embroideries, woven labels, garment washes, and better fabrics.
Execution
Spread the love across the apparel. Here are a few excerpts from the line.
Foundational Elements Example 2
Another example, this one was based off classic high school varsity athletics. Again, level one is the foundational building blocks of the apparel line and level two is fashioning those blocks into garment details.
Treatments and Detailing
Stylize the branding into a wearable compelling garment. Bring branding and concept to life through layout, materials, and treatments, in this case on a reversible hoody.
Treatments and Detailing
Stylize the branding into a wearable compelling garment. Bring branding and concept to life through layout, materials, and treatments, in this case on tees.
Bits n' Bobs
I worked with a very talented English apparel designer named Adam. As our design season progressed he would ask “Where are you at with the Bits ‘n’ Bobs?” In other words, “Are we making progress on the trim details?” Here are examples of some other "Bits 'n' Bobs" I created.
Trim Detail Branding
The "bits 'n' bobs" didn't exist in a vacuum. They were central to a branding strategy. This chart shows how I would delineate and define the ID systems. This particular men's lifestyle apparel line had four sub stories and four price tiers, but they were all built around the same vintage running theme.
Prints and Patterns
In addition to trim details I also designed quite a number of print patterns for Mens, Women's, and Kid's apparel. Here is a snippet of that work.
Prints and Patterns
Some pattern work in action. This was a small line I designed to tie into the the 2010 Vancouver Winter Olympics. It was aimed for boys in the 8–10 age range. The snowboard didn't get made, too late in the production game.
Colorway Exploration
Color. I did a lot of apparel colorway work. Here is a classic example. Urban Outfitters wanted to revive this basic jacket style and they really wanted us to explore and stretch out with color. So I dove in, I named each colorway to give 'em attitude. The styles above are what they narrowed down to, below is the full "stretch out" that they asked for.
Colorway Exploration
Stretched out colorways for Urban Outfitters.