MAYBE IF IT WAS ME
DIGITAL & DESIGN STRATEGY
CONCEPTUAL COLLABORATION, VISUAL DESIGN, FINAL FORM
RESEARCH
STRATEGY
DESIGN
VISUAL DIRECTION
PROJECT DELIVERY
MAYBE IF IT WAS ME EMERGED DURING A PERIOD OF GLOBAL RECKONING AROUND RACIAL VIOLENCE, ACCOUNTABILITY & JUSTICE.
THE WORK REQUIRED A CULTURAL INFRASTRUCTURE CAPABLE OF TRANSLATING SPOKEN WORD INTO A PUBLIC FORM THAT COULD TRAVEL RESPONSIBLY - PRESERVING MEANING, INVITING PARTICIPATION & ENABLING ACTION WITHOUT INSTITUTIONAL MEDIATION.
CHALLENGE
Translating emotion into action without spectacle or over-explanation.
The project required transforming a spoken word message into a physical form that could move through culture responsibly.
The project needed to:
carry emotional weight without aesthetic excess
provoke reflection without instruction
enable participation without controlling interpretation
While also remaining legible across intimate & high-visibility contexts.
SOLUTION
A restrained visual system designed to travel.
A minimal typographic intervention was developed to function simultaneously as:
message
object
action
Design restraint allowed the message to remain central as it moved through culture - unmediated, adaptable & guided by community circulation, rather than institutional framing.
LET THE
MESSAGE
BREATHE.
STRUCTURE, CIRCULATION & PARTICIPATION
Proximity to Movement.
Distribution was treated as a cultural process rather than a promotional one. The project:
launched without paid amplification
relied on trust-based, community-led sharing
circulated without heavy contextual framing
This approach preserved audience agency while allowing the work to move freely across cultural, athletic & social networks
VISUAL DIRECTION
Restraint as Respect.
The visual language was intentionally minimal to foreground meaning over aesthetics.
Design decisions prioritized:
typographic clarity over decoration
immediacy & recognizability
adaptability across everyday environments
Branding was avoided to prevent dilution, allowing the work to be encountered rather than marketed.
OUTCOMES
Cultural reach through organic, high-visibility circulation.
The work demonstrated how a restrained design intervention could move through mainstream cultural systems without paid amplification or institutional sponsorship.
Key outcomes included:
organic circulation across global sports, fashion & cultural ecosystems
amplification by professional athletes during high-visibility public moments
the work being worn by NBA athlete JR Smith during the official launch of the NBA x Louis Vuitton menswear collaboration, the first partnership between the NBA & Louis Vuitton designed under Virgil Abloh’s artistic direction, as he entered the stadium carrying Louis Vuitton-designed Keepall duffel
feature coverage by LeagueFits, a leading platform at the intersection of professional sport & fashion
WHY THIS MATTERS
This visibility occurred without paid partnership or formal brand affiliation, underscoring how cultural literacy, timing & design restraint can allow work to travel at scale while preserving meaning.
SCOPE OF WORK
RESEARCH
Cultural Moment & Protest-Era Context Analysis
Circulation Pathway Mapping (Street, Sport, Everyday Environments)
Precedent Review of Message-Driven Cultural Interventions
Sensitivity Assessment Across Diverse Audiences
DESIGN
Visual System Definition & Restraint-Based Direction
Typographic Hierarchy & Legibility Optimization
Form Design For Public, Wearable & High Visibility Contexts
PRODUCTION
Final Design Execution & Production Oversight
Material & Format Decision-Making
Quality Control Across Outputs
Release Timing Coordination
STRATEGY
Risk Analysis & Ethical Constraint Assessment
Audience Sensitivity & Cultural Context Evaluation
Message Integrity & Dilution Risk Assessment
Intention Definition Under Public Scrutiny
PROJECT MANAGEMENT & DELIVERY
Distribution Strategy Governance
Visibility & Misinterpretation Risk Management
Impact Stewardship & Proceeds Routing
Release Timing & Cultural Moment Alignment