🧵SewBlack Merch Designs for the World's Largest Quilting Event
Lorena Alvarez
Description
Black Women Stitch is a sewing group where Black lives matter. The organization centers around Black women, girls, and femmes who are into sewing. They practice the principles of Black liberation, radical self-love, and social justice. Black Women Stitch asked me to create merchandise for their brand "Sew Black" and "Sew Black at QuiltCon" to showcase at the QuiltCon 2023 event. QuiltCon is the largest international event that celebrates the art of modern quilting, and Sew Black wanted merch that would attract attention to their booth and promote their brand.
Project Goals
- Create eye-catching and memorable designs that will attract attendees to Sew Black's booth at QuiltCon.
- Design stickers that effectively promote Sew Black's brand and its products.
- Ensure that the designs are high-quality and visually appealing.
My Role
I helped Black Women Stitch bring marketing materials to life for their program Sew Black at QuiltCon by making compelling visuals that convey the defining characteristics of their organization.
Research
Before starting the design process, I researched Sew Black's brand and its products to get a better understanding of their aesthetic and target audience. I also looked at the branding and marketing materials used by other vendors at QuiltCon to get a sense of the design styles that are popular in the quilting community.
Design Concepts
Based on my research and understanding of Sew Black's brand and target audience, I developed several design concepts for their brand. These included:
Design Iterations
After presenting these concepts to Sew Black, we decided to narrow down a few designs and move them forward to complete the finishing touches. The chosen designs feature Sew Black's logo in different colors and styles. I created several iterations for each design, experimenting with different elements, colors, and layouts.
Final Designs
After several rounds of feedback and refinement, we settled on the final designs for the merch. The products feature Sew Black's logo in bold and modern typography, with elements that highlight the brand's commitment to both style and functionality. The designs come in a set of three different colors and styles, including a bright pink and a sleek black-and-white design. These designs effectively promote Sew Black's brand and products by using visually appealing and memorable styles.
The Outcome
Overall, designing Sew Black's designs for QuiltCon 2023 was a fun and rewarding project. I was able to create merch that effectively promoted Sew Black's brand and products while also standing out in a crowded and competitive event, attracting over 10,000 people to the booth.
I expanded the reach of Black Women Stitch's message in an organic way, by creating over 30+ promotional event materials to sell at the conference as well as their E-commerce website. I also reduced labor costs by saving them $4200 in production, helping the organization divert resources to other aspects of the company.
