The Brand Wardrobe™ Edit #2

Oct 12

3 min read

Fabric Foundations with the Brand Wardrobe™

Sneaky peak at how Victoria Illustrated has been ironing out your design doubts

If you are new here first go grab my free ‘Brand Wardrobe™ Starter Guide to see how many of the visual brand essentials you currently have ...or don't!

🪞 Life with Vi

It's time to get my big winter coat....the 'ber' months are flying fast and no I have not filmed any of the content I planned for September but yes I have started my Christmas shopping...PRIORITIES!

🧵 Brand Wardrobe™ Additions

Talking of signature looks I got to work with the fabulous Dr Sam again (I think we on project 5 or 6). She is taking over a parenting advice website so needed a do over. Before any of the illustrative work starts first we work out those foundations, her brand personality traits and I use my knowledge & experience to ask the right questions to give me the answers to a better fitting Brand Wardrobe™ that aligns more with the parents, families and carers she wants to support. I toned down the bright colour palette to a muted colour swatch that compliments the array of photos featured and a more unique brandmark. While thinking of the word ‘attachment’ I envisaged a safety pin ...one end reminded me of out stretched arms like 2 people reaching out to each other. The APUK site is full of love, closeness, human touch and hugs so this fits in with the feeling of the brand - compassion & support...the safety pin symbolises trust in a Knowledgeable Reflection Brand (expert knowledge holding everything together).

💛 What’s hanging in your Brand Wardrobe™

I’m hoping to launch my new Brand identity Discovery Tool by the end of September...she said, nope it's not quite ready yet lets see if I can hit the end of October instead, 20 days and counting.

You will be able to take the quiz to uncover the ‘Fabric Foundations’ behind different brand personalities and the ‘Core Threads’ that influence the ‘signature look’ behind every Brand Wardrobe™. I’ve taken everything I know about complicated & overwhelming Brand personality theory and developed 12 signature looks as a suggested direction...a strategic starting point to allow for both structure and fluidity if you are stuck on how your business should really look. Once it’s up and running I’ll give you lovely folks a chance to test it out first!

👠 Behind the Seams

I've been looking I what I actually do. I have spent 10 years drawing up tailor-made graphics but quietly I have been making thing more simple for people who don't have the time, eye or love for visual design and now turning to AI, getting overwhelmed in Canva or ending up in a mismatched mess. I believe an original business or product deserves original branding but I also know not everyone have the skill nor is ready to fully invest in custom brand/ graphic design. I want to be your middle ground

I had a taster session for one of my ideas with the lovely Becky of Country Crafts Dorset, she’s a new mum who wants to get back into business but she's one of the people I mentioned getting stuck on what to post and needs a bit more continuity in her visuals after turning to Ai for help. We had a good chat about Clarity, Continuity and Connection in her business, I gave Becky some fresh ways on looking at who her products are aimed at and how to create content that attracts those people form asking her self certain questions first. Plus tips to stop her falling back into a clutter, inconsistency and wasting precious time staring blankly at the screen as not sure what to say on her socials when she could be spending it with her new baby.

If this sounds like the guidance you could do with in your business too, I am going to offering Brand Wardrobe™ Fit Checks to how your business currently looks, what's fitting, what's niggling and where one change could make the biggest difference.

Be back soon with more Brand Bits & Bobs from the Brand Wardrobe™ ...be sure to open the door again next time

Vic