DEAF WEAR
BRIEF / PROCESS
SCOPE OF WORK: Logo Design
The client reached out to me after becoming familiar with my lettering work.
She was creating a line of t-shirts and wanted a brand that was current and youthful, and really wanted something with funky lettering, inspired by graffiti artwork.
​
What made the brand unique though, was that it was meant to be for the hearing impaired community, as something that would make the community feel included, inspired, and relevant, having a brand designed with them in mind. The brand was inspired by the clients own daughter, who was born hearing impaired, and who by this point was in her pre-teens, and had developed a love for fashion.
My approach.
​
As I brainstormed ideas, I thought it would be interesting seeing the brand on a t-shirt, and have it not just be cool-looking, but fascinating and informative. Why not sign the brand, instead of simply writing it? Why not both?
​
I don't know how to sign, so I had to do some research to learn the gestures for each letter.
I then focused on figuring out how to best translate the gesture into a static, stylized graphic that's both functional (so onlooking individuals from the hearing impaired and signing community would immediately connect with it), and cool-looking so anyone can find it interesting. As a bonus, it would also prompt some inadvertent learning of how to sign the letters "d," "e," "a," "f," and foster growing familiarity with sign language.
She really liked the direction, and from there we settled on colours and it was a wrap.
​
I've shared this logo several times at various presentations and talks, to varying audiences, and it always goes over well. In particular, the reaction I get from people who sign, is always one of amazement, and gratitude almost. They're always so pleasantly (deeply, on a couple occasions) moved by what they consider to be the thoughtfulness and inclusivity of it, I'm never not moved myself, humbled even.
