Identity Development
nvohk was an eco-friendly clothing company managed by the people who wear it. ‘Member-owners’ contributed to all decisions made within the company, from what logo would be used to what graphics would go on the shirts to how and where the clothing would be sold.
When I first heard about it, I knew it would be an interesting project. And nvohk’s management wanted a LOT of logos to present to their member-owners for voting, so I had plenty of opportunity to try different styles in an effort to appeal to their audience, the upwardly-mobile 20- and 30-something outdoorsy crowd.
I started out doing some research on biking, swimming, surfing and skating apparel companies and found that handmade is definitely in with that crowd, though it tends to go hand-in-hand with slick, modern typefaces and just enough grunge to keep things from looking corporate.
That in mind, I began to create the numerous logo options that were eventually presented to their member-owners for voting. I aimed to run the gamut: from Sagmeister-esque handmade logotypes to crisp, toned-down and slick Web 2.0-reminiscent icon-based treatments.
Many visual metaphors were incorporated: the mellow shape of the tortoise, the freedom-expressing bird, the idea-diffusing dandelion seed and the modern Adam, complete with fig leaf.