Vine & Branch: Subtle Faith-based Apparel Identity

Industry: Apparel

Focus: Brand, Product, Print,

Industry: Apparel Timeline: ~2 months Role: Creative Director / Producer Tools: Adobe Suite, Figma, Shapr3D

Vine & Branch was conceived as a modern apparel brand rooted in Christian teachings, designed to engage belief through design quality and abstraction rather than direct declaration.

The goal was to create an apparel brand informed by religion without conforming to the clichés that dominate the Christian apparel space. The client wanted faith to function as the origin of the brand—not its surface—allowing meaning to emerge through conversation, material quality, and visual restraint.

As a new concept, there was no existing system to evolve. The challenge was to establish a distinct identity from the outset while remaining accessible, wearable, and culturally relevant beyond explicitly religious contexts.

The strategy centered on restraint. Rather than relying on graphic statements or literal symbolism, the brand was designed to communicate through reduction, spacing, and tone.

Avoiding overt religious language or iconography

Designing an aesthetic that could be worn by a broad audience

Allowing curiosity to do the work that messaging usually does

Internally, the guiding reference was a contemporary performance apparel brand, quietly informed by faith rather than branded by it.

The visual system is driven primarily by layout. With minimal graphic elements and subdued color usage, layout became the primary tool for hierarchy, pacing, and emotional weight.

This precision prevents the system from feeling empty or underdeveloped. Instead, it creates tension and focus—directing attention intentionally and allowing moments of storytelling to feel cinematic and controlled. The structure scales naturally across apparel, digital, and print applications, maintaining a consistent sense of mystery and restraint.

Early in the process, the brand briefly explored an alternate name, NUME, derived from Latin and Italian roots meaning “spiritual presence.” While the concept was strong, the client ultimately chose to retain agency over the final naming, leading to the adoption of Vine & Branch and the fully realized system presented here.

This project reinforced the value of designing against expectation—particularly in categories defined by sameness. Strong layout, disciplined contrast, and reduction proved capable of carrying meaning without explanation.

While the brand did not progress beyond identity and product design due to trademark complications, early feedback confirmed strong resonance and curiosity within a traditionally predictable market. The work remains a foundational exploration of restraint, atmosphere, and system-led identity—and a clear example of how subtlety can outperform declaration.