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American Image Awards

CHALLENGE

Can a legacy award be modernized and aligned with the re-brand of the American Apparel and Footwear Association? Can a dated invitation style be refreshed to speak to the cutting edge of the fashion industry? Can an invitation design have greater impact on the design of an entire event?

DELIVERABLES

Design Strategy

Identity Design

Web & Social Graphics

Print Production

OUTCOME

A strategic redesign–event logo, icon, website graphics, social media graphics, and invitation–that not only celebrates the creative minds of the fashion industry, but also the association that supports them.

INDUSTRY

Association

SUMMARY

Owned and operated by the AAFA, the American Image Awards began in 1977 to honor those who have exemplified leadership, excellence, and outstanding achievement in all sectors of the apparel and footwear industry, including education, design, manufacturing, and retail.

 

During a quick 3 month design cycle, Allen Wayne created a logo, icon graphic, invitation design, supporting web graphics, produced the physical printed invitation, and managed the mail processing.

STRATEGY

The project was initiated after design strategy session between Allen Wayne’s Creative Director, Robert Pace and AAFA’s Senior Vice President, Susan Lapetina. They agreed the award event and supporting collateral needed a complete overhaul informed by the associations newly minted style guide. The resulting creative would initiate a new brand for the American Image Awards.

Trio of trophies
American Image Awards logo

DESIGN

The AIA award itself was photographed and translated into a vector graphic. This graphic would be come the centerpiece of the awards identity, much like The Oscars. The award logo was developed from the AAFA brand font Gotham, the font was manipulated with a custom stamp look to speak to the manufacturing arm of the fashion industry. The angle of the cuts follow the same 45 degree angle as the AAFA stitching detail used in their style guide.

 

Metallic blue PMS 8202 and metallic silver 877 where selected as elegant counterparts for the brand colors of PMS 308 and 7543. The metallic colors where laid into metallic stock in a ombre look to create the base of the invitation.

The elongated format and pointed front of the invitation related to the AAFA ampersand icon, which evokes a needle and thread. In essence the invitation is the tip of the needle.

Outside of invitation
Inside of invitation
American Apparel & Footwear logo
Envelope close up
Logo on invitation close up
Invitation close up

COLLATERAL GRAPHICS

Awards ad design
Ad Design
Save the date email graphic
Email Graphic
American Image Awards banner design
Email Graphic
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