THE CHALLENGE
87W had product and early hype, but no scalable brand system. No rules, no structure, nothing repeatable. Challenge was building long-term brand platform surviving past one drop while staying intentional. Needed flexibility across future releases, new materials, collaborations, different markets without losing identity. Goal: position 87W as lasting lifestyle brand with emotional weight, not just luxury streetwear from Chicago.
THE SOLUTION
Built complete visual language and campaign direction tied to confident, consistent voice. Applied brand psychology principles ensuring emotional connection through design. Contrast: soft portraits balanced against sharper product shots creating depth preventing flat brand feeling. Simplicity and repetition: clean, repeated elements (logos, color pairings, typography) accelerating brand recognition. Emotional cues: every design choice sparking specific feelings (calm, confidence, curiosity) making brand memorable rather than forgettable
MY ROLE
Led complete brand development as Creative Director, building identity system rooted in emotional design and cultural positioning.
✔ Co-named brand 87W, nodding to Chicago’s longitude as origin point and cultural influence
✔ Created complete art direction strategy positioning 87W as timeless, enduring lifestyle brand with emotional depth rather than trend-chasing streetwear
✔ Designed complete visual identity system: logo variations, 12-color palette (deep emerald, sage green, cream tones, light blues, black), typography hierarchy using Libre Franklin and Blaster Display, brand photography style
✔ Styled and color-graded assets maintaining cohesion across diverse lighting conditions, subjects, ensuring consistent brand perception across all touchpoints
✔ Developed photography direction balancing editorial portraits with structured product visuals reflecting brand’s duality between accessible and aspirational
✔ Applied brand psychology principles (contrast, simplicity, emotional recall) ensuring consistency in perception across every touchpoint
✔ Expanded color palette consideration for textile applications (leather, silk, cotton) with refined tones fit for fashion production, not just graphic branding
THE IMPACT
Brand Foundation Delivered: Complete identity system including logo suite with lockup variations, 12-color palette engineered for both digital and textile applications, typography system, brand photography guidelines, product styling direction, social content framework. Visual language translating seamlessly from e-commerce to editorial to retail environments.
Strategic Positioning: Positioned 87W as timeless lifestyle brand rooted in Chicago culture but designed for global recognition. Differentiated through sophisticated restraint rather than loud streetwear tropes. Built foundation enabling expansion across product categories, collaborations, markets while maintaining brand integrity.
System Scalability: Designed identity system supporting growth from local streetwear label to multi-category lifestyle brand. Created flexible visual language working across apparel, accessories, environmental design, digital presence without requiring creative oversight for each application. Brand ready to evolve while remaining instantly recognizable.
