Most people assume that making a brand feel legit means adding more—more polish, more graphics, more complexity. But the truth? One small tweak can instantly shift how people perceive your brand:
intentional spacing.
Yes, spacing. The difference between something that feels amateur and something that feels fully realized often comes down to how well it’s given room to breathe or, in some cases, how deliberately it doesn’t.
MSCHF: Chaos with Control
Look at MSCHF, the art collective behind viral drops like the Big Red Boots and the 1/100 Stock Market Game. Their branding swings between sleek minimalism and absolute chaos, but either way, it’s always intentional. Some projects are designed with crisp, high-end spacing, making them feel like luxury streetwear. Others lean into an aggressive, almost anti-design approach, where things feel crammed or overwhelming on purpose.
But whether it’s sparse or chaotic, every choice serves the concept. Nothing is accidental. That’s why, no matter how weird their work is, it always feels real.
How to Use Spacing to Make Your Brand Feel More Real
- Logos: Give them breathing room, or intentionally don’t if you’re going for a packed, underground zine aesthetic. Just make it a choice, not an accident.
- Typography: Spaced-out text can feel elegant, while tight, overlapping type can feel loud and rebellious. What do you want your brand to say?
- Layouts: Don’t just fill space for the sake of it. If something looks chaotic, ask: Does this feel intentional? If not, refine it.
- Websites & Packaging: Whether you go sleek or messy, structure matters. Even the most chaotic brands follow some kind of internal logic.
It’s not just about making things look nice; it’s about signaling intent. When a brand uses space deliberately, whether it’s refined or crowded, it feels like a fully thought-out concept instead of a random collection of visuals.
Why Spacing (or Lack of It) Matters
It’s not just about making things look nice; it’s about signaling intent. When a brand uses space deliberately—whether it’s refined or crowded—it feels like a fully thought-out concept instead of a random collection of visuals.
MSCHF proves that you don’t need to be sleek or traditional to feel real, you just need to be intentional. So if you want to instantly level up your brand without overhauling everything? Make sure every design choice, clean or chaotic, feels like it belongs.
All of MSCHF's Viral Drops
Trilzo does an excellent job of going through all of MSCHF’s branding drops. Check out his YouTube too!
