Zephyr: A Case Study
Zephyr is a fictional equestrian accessory brand, made for the winter months, which
typically are the off months for the sport. It makes the usually more clean
and proper look of the sport accessible and playful for anyone to enjoy.
This project explores the use of AI, specifically OpenAI, as a tool for creating
mockups and references for product shots that would be given to a
photographer, should any of the products be actually made.
The Process:
As all projects do, this project began with research and many, many sketches.
English-style riding is a predominantly warm-weather sport, with only select show circuits in the north of the East Coast running into the cold months. The typical show year for non-professional riders lasts from March to about November, leaving a perfect opening for a brand to capitalize on this gap in shows.
Many professional riders travel south for showing in the winter, and I wanted to create a brand based around the winter months for the more casual rider, or at least a rider who wants a more exciting wardrobe for the winter months.
The first hurdle was naming the brand. I wanted to allude to the winter motif, and landed on the name Zephyr, meaning the west wind. This lent itself to logo ideas centered on the idea of breeze, which culminated in a pinwheel-style logo mark and an altered typeface of Boho Breeze for the word mark.
The color palette and design choices were based on the winter sunrise, and the patterning of the gingham comes from zephyr being a type of fine cotton gingham.
Early sketches of the logo