OUGD603. Extended Practice. Brief 3: CLOTHING COMPANY BRAND.

i wanted to base each of the remaining briefs i wrote on the topical separations of graphic design. i wanted to involve topics that i am interested in and that i do not currently know much about. i thought this would enable me to maintain an interest in each brief through not exhausting previously visited topics. not knowing much about the topic will encourage me to find out more, meaning that my drive to research will be stronger.

i have always been interested in clothing branding and logo identity and like collecting different clothing for aesthetic, design and crafts purposes, and obviously to wear. having done quite a lot of branding in the past year, and having really enjoyed it, i feel that another branding based brief would help to improve my skills and understanding in the matter.

i began by doing a spider diagram of potential topics and how the deisng briefs could take shape.

having come up with a few ideas i then chose the few best as final considerations. the asterisks indicate this. i decided against the intel rebrand mainly because of the large time scale and the considerable size the brief would likely be. upon further consideration, i also decided that i wouldn't like rebranding a large corporation like that. i decided against the green party rebrand for similar reasons but also because political branding doesn't really interest me. and so i chose the clothing company brand because it would also allow me to become familiar with clothing design.

having established my topic and brief focus i then went on to write the brief.

BA (Hons.) GRAPHIC DESIGN	Level	6
Module Code: OUGD603	Module Title: Extended Practice	Learning Outcomes:

BRIEF TITLE: CLOTHING COMPANY CONCEPT AND BRAND IDENTITY.

Brief:  “The finest clothing made is a person's own skin, but, of course, society demands something more than this.” - Mark Twain. Clothing was, historically, a necessity good, made to aid heath and comfort. With the increase in quality and affordability of production, clothing has become much more of a consumer good, bought to communicate one’s affiliations/styles. The vast oversupply of clothing, mainly to western markets, has encouraged a culture of blind mass consumption. Supply is met with a considerable disregard for ethical and ecological production considerations/methods. Some manufacturers, however, are able to capture style and originality while still maintaining sustainable practices. You will develop a considered and focussed research methodology, carried out to inform you of the target audience, their interests and aesthetic associations. Use this information to establish a strong brand identity and company ethos. Then develop and produce a range of clothing designs, taking into account the ethical and ecological impacts.

Background: Apparel and Sportswear companies have been operating since the early 20th century and have each had their turn at the top, however, in the 90’s and 2000’s many smaller and more focussed brands (often associated with specific sports) have emerged. New, more environmentally and economically friendly materials and manufacturing methods have been developed in the 21st century. These offer a more ecological solution to the over use of synthetic materials and enable companies to maintain production without harm to the environment.

Considerations: ·       What name will the brand have? ·       What aesthetics and logo themes might it involve? ·       How might products be produced? ·       What company ethos should exist? ·       Who should the target audience be?

Mandatory Requirements: 1.     Clothing company ethos/manifesto and brand name 2.     Brand identity design accompanied by basic brand guidelines. 3.     Clothing range complete with design ideas. 4.     Samples of clothing produced in line with ecological considerations/processes.

Target Audience: The target audience should be procured in line with the aims and associations of the clothing company. These will be derived from the research gathered and the information taken from it.

Tone of Voice: The tone of voice should be inviting and intriguing, in order to attract the target audience. A professional demeanour should be adopted to communicate the company’s dedication. The target audience and the relevant aesthetic associations will, ultimately, dictate the visual tone.

Deliverables: ·       Company manifesto ·       Brand logo ·       Brand identity + guidelines ·       Printed samples of clothing designs ·       Exploration of potential ranges and designs ·       Design development evidenced on your blog

 


having spoken to will about his briefs, and finding out that he too was interested in doing a clothing based brief, we decide that this could be a good collaboration for us to engage in. our styles are somewhat similar and we share the same clothing interests and design interests.

i feel this brief will give me a chance to develop my drawing skills along with my digital rendering abilities. it will inform me about clothing and responsible production and allow me to develop my printing and self production skills.