Pretty Pistol by Pixel Puffs
Taking a twist from everyday life.
Branding & Identity | Art Direction
For the youthful spirits who want to freely express themselves but feel that there is a lack of clothing brands with that fit that character, Pretty Pistol is imaginative wear that takes a twist on everyday life. We branded a retail shop that sells apparel, accessories, and stickers. Energetic but approachable, we want to inspire people to bring out their creative side.
Challenge
Creating an experimental but friendly brand is a challenge in itself as it takes bravery for customers to freely express themselves. Branding a voice that is inclusive enough for our customers to try new things as gender neutral wear that is both expressive and affordable is a pair that is already hard to find.
Goal
Pretty Pistol inspires and allows people to dress boldly with no worries, all while having fun. Not only did we want to brand a fun retail store, but we wanted to create an affordable, inclusive brand that people can identify with on a personal level.
Duration
20 weeks
Team
Holly Phan
Roles
Branding
Art Direction
Production
Skills Used
Photoshop
Illustrator
Packaging
InDesign
Page Layout
Screen Printing
Illustration
Set Design
Copywriting
Concept
Definition
pis·tol /ˈpistl/
A pistol is another word for someone who is unpredictable.
We needed to define who we are.
Through whiteboarding and card sorting, we defined our brand as:
approachable, imaginative, free, bold, vibrant, and energetic
Competitive Analysis
As we defined our tonal territories to understand our brand deeper, we created a competitive analysis to also view where we land within the competition space.
Personas
We created both a customer and buyer persona who both embody the Pretty Pistol brand. Our audience is diverse, unique, and inclusive individuals who are not afriad to be themselves.
Moodboard
Style Guide
We initially started with designing our logo as it is the epitome of our brand, which thus helped us with direction. Heavy, curved strokes and handwritten type best fit our brand characteristics. The color of the target in our logo is a bold pink and can be changed to other colors. The letter 'P' is used for clear space.
Our typography and illustration style was then made based on our previous research and our starting logo. A playful, friendly theme was followed to finalize our style guidelines.
Products
We created a collection of branded illustrations and graphics for potential physical products. Long sleeve t-shirts were decided as we wanted to experiment printing on the actual sleeves.
After 11 weeks of defining our brand, we started researching on producing our products. As direct-to-garment printing was very costly, screen printing was decided as it was more affordable and accessible to our team. However, it was extremely time-consuming, but a great learning experience. Pins and stickers were outsourced, as it was affordable, both in costs and time.
Mockups
Photoshoot
To showcase all the branded products that were created, an in-studio photoshoot was coordinated. Prior to contacting our models, we sketched our set and planned a shot list.
Art Direction: Natalie Fajardo and Holly Phan
Photo and Editing: Holly Phan
Models: Aika Yokoyama, Em Gray, Khang Nguyen, Nikko Emm
Lighting: Sara Dilley
Assistance: Delilah Lovejoy
Retail Pop-Up Installation
A physical installation was created to pull together our boutique brand. We displayed our set during our portfolio graduation show, where attendees could interact with the shop. Attendees could then fill out a form with their email for presale.
It took us about at least 72 hours in total to paint the walls and furniture, build the furniture, tile the floors, create the rug and plants and put together the whole set with the help other friends and family.
Reflection
As a partnership, creating cohesive assets was a tedious task and obstacle itself. Constant communication and open-mindedness to new ideas is essential in creating a brand so close to our own personal brands.
More iterations and time on developing our visual style would be proven helpful, as well as sticking to our initial moodboard as a clear indicator.
Next Steps
As designing and screenprinting were enjoyed, and the fact that Holly and I have been friends outside of school, we hope to continue Pretty Pistol through our personal partner Instagram: @pixelpuffs_.
