Vintage 86.
Last summer, my good friends at Vintage 86 Aprons reached out with a request to rework their logo and expand their visual identity. This project was framed as a fun, slow-burn effort that would grow over time as the brand matured and new products were released. As a lover of all things food, creativity, and chill timelines, I was in. As we talked things through, it became apparent that some foundational brand work was needed to get a clear picture of the road ahead. I say this only because all projects, even small ones, need a good roadmap, or they could end up being cosmetic design exercises and nothing more.
We proceeded with some foundational questions and basic research to help guide the immediate design needs and set things up for future success as the brand grows and expands into new territories. All while keeping the process simple and approachable.
My role:
Help evolve and refine the Vintage 86 visual identity, beginning with the logo, color palette, and basic art direction.
The process.
My primary design goal was to create lettering treatments that were ownable and echoed a vintage aesthetic. It was also important to me that the mark felt well crafted but human at the same time to reinforce the strong feeling of self-expression Vintage 86 is a champion of. To do this, I gave myself three guideposts to check the work against as I moved forward:
- Vintage—the look needed to feel at home in a ’60s/’70s kitchen
- Individual—the lettering needed to have a human uniqueness
- Use—the design solution needed to lend itself to a wide gamut of manufacturing techniques used in the garment business
From there, I proceeded with rough sketches to get a feel for the composition and stack possibilities. Once I had something worth looking at, I put them in front of Payton and Jonathan—the ridiculously talented owners of Vintage 86. Some of these sketches are shown below, along with the chosen direction.
Yes, Chef.
After dialing in the wordmark, it was time to put the design into action. We continued to explore activating the identity through color and patterns alongside some of Jonathan’s delicious food imagery.
Ready for the next course?
This wordmark was such a fun project. Anytime I get to letter numbers, it’s a good day in the studio. Seeing new products roll out with the updated design has been very satisfying, and I can’t wait to see what Payton and Jonathan cook up next.
Make sure to follow @Vintage86Aprons on Instagram for new releases.
