Featured case study

Gretchen M.

Brand Strategy
Brand Identity Design
Web Design
Creative Direction
Print Design

featured case study

Slow fashion, in the heart of NYC's garment district.

Because a key element of the initial dress line was versatility, we envisioned the customer as a series of archetypes, which we associated with film leads: the crusader, the leading lady, the muse and the rebel.

Flowing from the archetypes, we saw each dress as a character, or different version of self.

I leveraged this metaphor into an organizing structure for the website, with each act representing a season, each scene representing a piece, and each print a character.

Inspired by classic cinema, period costumes and vintage garments, actress Gretchen Mol created a line of versatile, sustainable dresses based on vintage silhouettes.

Gretchen Mol came to me with an idea in progress, a line of versatile wrap dresses based on vintage silhouettes. After spending several years acting in period pieces such as Boardwalk Empire, she wanted to capture the tailoring, attention to detail and structure of period costumes, while still creating a garment that was wearable, versatile and comfortable. A chic alternative to sweats and yoga pants that could go from the home to the grocery store to a night out.

She was initially looking for a simple logo and some help designing dress prints. The project quickly expanded into a full brand strategy, brand identity design, print design, and e-commerce site design.

Brand strategy

photos by len prince

Visual Identity design

The visual identity design process began with a deep dive into vintage fashion and film. We were inspired by vintage fashion tags, vintage travel ephemera, and classic luxury fashion brands.

Vintage tags are a wealth of beautiful and delicate typography and refined sensibility. We also looked at the evolution of classic luxury brands that have stood the test of time, such as Cartier and Hermes.

I designed a classic, delicate, and yet contemporary suite of logos, and we landed on a rich color palette with a an emerald green as the brand equity color, combined with a secondary palette of vintage inspired, yet saturated hues, that could be leveraged throughout the brand through every season.

We were inspired by vintage fashion tags, vintage travel emphemera, and classic luxury fashion brands. the brand identity design were

Vintage tags are a wealth of beautiful and delicate typography and vintage sensibility. We also looked at classic luxury brands that have stood the test of time, such as Cartier and Hermes.

I designed a classic, delicate, and yet contemporary suite of logos, and we landed on a mainly neutral color palette with a an emerald green as the brand equity color, combined with a secondary palette of vintage inspired, yet rich hues, that could be leveraged throughout the brand.

In the crowded fashion space, a unique Shopify site design was key to making the brand stand out, and to communicate a singular point of view. White grounds and minimal boxes and typography were just not the vibe.

Since the inaugural collection contained only one silhouette in several fabrics and prints, it was important to continue the film character metaphor through to the website to add context and storytelling to the line.

We included several pages about the brand, about Gretchen, and about the production of the garments in NYC's fashion district. These authentic and creative bits of writing by Gretchen, combined with the visuals tell a compelling story about the history of film, fashion, NYC, and Gretchen M.'s place in a new, sustainable production model.

We used a collage format, combining vintage photos, ephemera, and the unique and beautiful photography of the line by Len Prince. We worked with the amazing developer Codearium, to bring this highly customized and singular site to life.

Check out the live site here.

E-Commerce Site

Photos by Len Prince

BACK TO PORTFOLIO MAIN

Typography curation and styling is an important part of Gretchen M., as fine typography is one of the most important signs of an elevated brand. We used Founders Caslon and Bicyclette, with refined font styling and a unique hierarchy being the key to giving the brand an elevated and singular look.

Another important detail that differentiates the brand is the vintage ephemera, framing, historic photos, and vintage artifacts that are used across the site. The color palette was inspired by classic film and fashion and lends a sophisticated compliment to the pieces. All the tiny details come together into a whole that truly embodies the luxurious, classic and detailed line.

details

All about the

Check out the live site here.

Because the inaugural collection was small, only one silhouette in 5 fabric choices, creating the illusion of a more built out line was key. Having richly detailed and varied lifestyle photography as well as a full range of product photography was key.

I translated the screen character metaphor into a series of storyboards that provided the guidance for the lifestyle and product photography. Gretchen enlisted the help of her longtime friend and brilliant photographer Len Prince. The result is a hugely varied and wildly creative series of images that we were able to leverage into social media, marketing pieces, and of course the e-commerce site.

Photography

Creative direction:

Photos by Len Prince and gretchen mol

I initally worked with Gretchen to create a few dress prints for her inaugural collection. As with all new fashion lines, production is a complex and long process, with rounds of strike offs, sampling, fitting, and grading, and finally production.

A few of my initial prints made it into production. My favorite is this classic hyacinth pattern in sepia tones. I love the nod to vintage film noir, and the universally wearable, classic, and seasonless palette.

Another love is this whimsical bow print. We referenced 50's era vintage prints, to create a pattern that can be dressed up or down, especially in black and cream.

Prints

Product development:

Photos by Len Prince and gretchen Mol

From the Client:

We are so so grateful for all you've done to get us to this place! The website is really unique, it doesn’t feel like anything else out there. It’s also been such a pleasure to work with you. You’ve helped us understand so much to enable us to move forward.

—Gretchen Mol

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