What was my thought process when coming up with the Chicago Clothing Company logo?
I wanted the logo to definitely have a Chicago feel and look when you see it. I was aiming for the person wearing the Chicago Clothing Company logo to feel pride in it. It was very important for the logo to be a representation of Chicago.
Since my earlier 20’s I have been a big fan of t-shirts. I’ve enjoy being able to express a message through a t-shirt and wear it. But, what really made want to start a t-shirt line was when I saw the Obama “Hope” t-shirt designed by Shepard Fairey in 2008 for the Barack Obama Presidential campaign. It was one of the greatest designs I had ever scene! The t-shirt design was fresh, unique and something I never seen before. This one design really motivated me to begin designing shirts and putting my own messages on them. I began dreaming of a brand I could develop for Chicago, something that people would take pride in and would want to wear.
Creating the Chicago Clothing Company brand logo
I knew I needed a great logo to identify with the brand. A great logo and great brand go hand to hand. I decided I wanted to incorporate the Sears Tower, the Chicago flag and its colors. People in Chicago take great pride in their city. I decided to add some of the great symbols of Chicago in the design and have it all wrapped in a big C. So after a few rough drafts I had the design finalized. I also wanted to have a positive message to go along with it. I decided on going with “Be the Chicago you want to see” a little take of Obama’s “Be the change you want to see”. It was a simple but yet powerful message.
Be the Chicago you want to see
Chicago is the 3rd largest city in in the United States, with a population over 2.7 million people. It’s a lot of things going on in Chicago, good and bad. It seems a lot of the negative incidents always get the most attention from the media. The media sometimes bombards us with issues about violence, high taxes and corrupt politicians in Chicago. This has led to a negative perception of Chicago. Unfortunately, for some Chicagoan’s it has made them feel hopeless in their own city. I wanted the design and message to inspire and motivate people to take action against the negative perceptions of Chicago. That’s is what “Be the Chicago you want to see” stands for; go out, take action and change the things you don’t like to make Chicago better.
So this sums up how I came up with the idea for creating the Chicago Clothing Company logo. I wanted a great design and message that would mean something to people and inspire them. I am really proud of the design and how it came out. The reaction from customers have been great and I have gotten a lot of positive feedback!
Please make sure you go to the shop to get the t-shirt and check out other tees from the Chicago Clothing Company.
