Ibtihaj Shaikh
Designing Powerful Logos That Define Brands
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The Story Behind the FUNK Premium Denim Logo
Back in 2015, I entered a DesignCrowd contest to create a logo for FUNK Premium Denim Co.
I wanted to create something that felt bold, fashion-forward and recognizable — not just another typography-based clothing logo.
The idea was to build the identity around an FF monogram, with the two F's facing opposite directions. That gave the brand a distinctive symbol that could work on its own, while the wordmark completed the identity.
On June 22, 2015, the design was selected as the winning entry, earning me a $1,400 prize.
What I particularly liked about this concept was its simplicity. The mark was strong enough to stand alone, while still connecting naturally with the FUNK wordmark and the fashion industry.
And there's one thing I want to clarify about this logo:
* If you see this logo today and think, “I've seen this logo somewhere on Google or on a stock website,” — that's not how this logo came about.
We created this mark in 2015 as the winning design for the brand. The company later registered the FF FUNK PREMIUM DENIM CO mark as a trademark.
Today, you can find thousands of similar-looking logos and symbols on stock websites. But that doesn't mean they were the source of this particular design.
This is one of the logos I created first, as a commissioned brand identity, and it became the identity of a real company.
That's one of the things I love about logo design.
A simple mark can travel much further than the designer ever expects — from a contest entry, to a real brand, to something officially registered and used in the market.
$1,400 DesignCrowd Winner.
June 22, 2015.
FUNK Premium Denim Co.
Another logo. Another story.
Looking to elevate your brand’s visual identity with a high impact logo? Send me a direct message or drop a comment below. Let’s collaborate and turn your vision into a strategic design that wins.
📩 Email: ibtihaj2011@hotmail.com
📲 WhatsApp: +92 313 3322439
#BrandIdentity #LogoDesign #DesignCrowd #VisualIdentity #GraphicDesign #Branding #DesignCaseStudy #CreativeProcess
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The Story Behind My $1,918 HassleLess Logo
In 2016, I entered a 99designs logo contest for HassleLess Mattress.
There were around 8,500 submissions in the contest, and my design was actually eliminated by the client during the process. So I moved on and assumed that was the end of it.
Then, completely unexpectedly, I received an email:
“Congratulations! You have been awarded a $1,918 prize for the 99designs.com (http://99designs.com) Hassleless Logo Contest.”
The client had come back to my design and selected it as the winner.
I was extremely happy that day. 😂
The project became my highest-paid logo design at the time.
For the identity, I focused on creating a clean and modern wordmark while giving the name a distinctive visual character. The combination of the bold green and dark lettering helped create a simple, memorable identity that could work across different applications.
What makes this project special to me isn't just the $1,918 prize.
It's the lesson behind it:
A design being eliminated doesn't always mean it's the wrong design.
Sometimes things change. Sometimes a client takes another look. And sometimes the design you thought was gone comes back and wins.
8,500+ submissions.
One eliminated design.
One unexpected email.
One $1,918 win.
One of my favorite design stories from my journey as a designer.
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Case Study: Elevating 'The Front Porch' Brand Identity
The Brief & Challenge
The client launched a design contest on DesignCrowd for The Front Porch Piano Bar & Restaurant. They provided an initial concept featuring two chairs, but the visual execution lacked brand presence, energy, and elegance.
Strategy & Design Approach
Rather than performing a simple vector cleanup, the goal was to craft a distinctive identity with character:
🔹 Iconmark Iteration: Transformed static chair graphics into hand crafted, dynamic rocking chairs using varied stroke weights to create rhythm and depth.
🔹 Custom Typography: Integrated a flowing, high contrast script wordmark that balances corporate sophistication with hospitality warmth.
🔹 System Flexibility: Ensured high contrast and legibility across light, dark, and monochrome brand touchpoints.
Project Impact
Out of multiple contest submissions, the client selected this creative pivot as the official winner. Winning this $1,200 DesignCrowd contest reinforced a core principle in my workflow: looking beyond standard client drafts to deliver genuine visual value.
Looking to elevate your brand’s visual identity with a high impact logo?
Send me a direct message or drop a comment below. Let’s collaborate and turn your vision into a strategic design that wins.
📩 Email: ibtihaj2011@hotmail.com (mailto:ibtihaj2011@hotmail.com)
📲 WhatsApp: +92 313 3322439
#BrandIdentity #LogoDesign #DesignCrowd #VisualIdentity #GraphicDesign #Branding #DesignCaseStudy #CreativeProcess
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Some of my recent work
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