Branding for a Fashion Icon

Intro

We were honoured and privileged to work closely with an icon of British-Canadian fashion – Pat McDonagh. Pat made a name for herself by designing costumes for The Beatles and Diana Rigg of the Avengers series, modelling and making television appearances. Her pieces were seen on many celebrities, including the late HRH Princess Diana and the Rt. Hon Michaëlle Jean, former Governor-General of Canada.

Pat has been honoured with multiple awards, such as the 8 Wool Bureau Awards, The American Legend Fur Award in Frankfurt, and the FDCC Lifetime Achievement Award from the Canadian fashion industry. She was one of the co-founders of the Fashion Design Council of Canada (FDCC). Her contributions to the industry are a staple in both the history and future of Canadian fashion. Pat passed away on May 31st, 2014 and was designing her legacy pieces until her last breath.

Problem

Pat’s visual identity was inconsistent across different mediums, including the labels on her couture pieces and the graphics displayed on runways. She sought a coherent and fresh take on her brand to take it to the next level.

Solution

We created a new visual identity composed of old logo elements inspired by her Irish roots and her signature black bob hairstyle. The new branding was minimalistic and easily recognizable. Her brand voice was warm, friendly and somewhat quirky with a touch of British humour, which was often captured in her collections over the years.

The ‘head’ symbol (logo mark) was turned into a pattern which Pat used as a reversible wool pattern. The same mark could be used for designing decorative and functional pieces for handbags, shoes, belt buckles, buttons and jewelry.

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