website and brand refresh – seabreeze apparel
Weaving a people-centred approach into a clothing manufacturer’s website refresh
This deceptively simple brief was to overhaul the Seabreeze Apparel website and increase screen-printing sales, in partnership with web design company Digital Advisor.
But first, I started by really getting to know key people from each area of the business, to find out what Seabreeze meant to them, and what the company’s real point of difference was. This unearthed key human insights that were the foundation of the success of the business, and helped formed a sense of purpose to the brand refresh.
I brought in top wordsmith Easterbrook, and between us articulated these company values, a swathe of web copy, and a strapline that really captured the Seabreeze kaupapa.
Their existing branding was a basic wordmark and a single blunt tone of orange. I knew for a swathe of content and new pages there needed to be a much deeper sense of visual identity, while keeping things down to earth.
Leveraging the name, a motif of ‘weather map isobars’ act as a textural element with the fresh colour palette. But the real strength was the people and their everyday work, which I captured in a range of still portraits, reportage, and video.
Partnering with Digital Advisor, this was a project of real collaboration – and a learning experience, balancing my layout aspirations with the pragmatics of a low-budget website build.
Seabreeze is also driven by a strong but humble ecological compass, in many ways echoing my own core values.
Craft is obvious with their attention to detail in all their garments and prints and processes.
Seabreeze connects, supports and fosters plucky (and also purpose-driven) fashion brands with deep manufacturing and problem-solving know-how.
Kaitiakitanga is important to Seabreeze (even though they might not call it that). From supporting organisations like the Green Party and community charities, to stocking only the most ethically made brands and fabrics possible. Plus their innovative partnership with a merino recycling enterprise, sending bales of offcuts every few months to be made into blankets.
Roles Creative direction / Art direction & design / Copywriting / Content creation
Client Seabreeze Apparel
Year 2021-2022
Web developer/designer James McGoram, Digital Advisor
Copywriter Mark Easterbrook
Video Editor Ethan Alderson-Hughes
Media Website / digital content / corporate identity