Illustration, Design & Packaging

— Collaboration with REI Co-op

I’m constantly inspired by my friends and family within the queer community. A bear represents the strength and courage it takes to reject societal norms and embrace your uniqueness. The birds symbolize the spectrum of identity, expression and sexuality. Harmony is achieved through love and acceptance for all diverse creatures.

For typography, I chose the direction of a blocky, yet playful font that felt similar to the illustration style. The type lockup is versatile and can be stacked and rearranged into various forms to be carried across all the pieces of merchandise.

I took the main graphic and dissected it to create a bandana. This design was unused, but I loved it so much I had to include it in the case study.

I shared several sketches and concepts with REI, and they responded so positively that we moved forward with two design directions—both rooted in trees as the central visual anchor. The second direction reimagines the iconic Pride rainbow flag in harmony with nature, blending it into the tree-filled landscape to evoke a vibrant sunset and celebrate the beauty of unity.

Patterns are a key part of a brand system because they create visual consistency, enhance recognition, and express personality across various applications. They help the brand feel unified and instantly identifiable, even without a logo.

Representing a diverse community is no easy task, but my approach aimed to honor the heart of the queer experience while aligning with REI’s core values. The final result is a design that resonates broadly—welcoming both LGBTQ+ and straight audiences—and brings multiple communities together in celebration.