Appalachian Gold
Apparel & Brand Identity | Ryland Smith
Project Overview
Appalachian Gold is a tourism focused brand concept inspired by the landscapes, culture, and natural beauty of the Appalachian region. The project challenged me to develop a visual identity that could capture a strong sense of place while remaining flexible to work across marketing, merchandise, and other branded applications.
The Challenge
Appalachian Gold needed a visual identity capable of representing the Appalachian region while feeling contemporary enough to compete in the outdoor apparel market.
Research
Inspired by the rich heritage and natural beauty of the Appalachian Mountains, I began by researching the region’s unique character. I found ancient and rounded mountains framing a golden sunset as my biggest inspiration.
Exploration
Originally the wordmark included character swashes, they were removed for balance and unity. Other sunsets were explored and not considered.
Final Identity
The final direction uses a simplified Appalachian landscape and layered sunset to create an immediate sense of place while giving the brand a warm, memorable visual character.
Applications
Supporting Graphics, Merchandise, Label Packaging, Email, Social Media, Website, Print
The Outcome
The resulting identity established a flexible visual system that could move between apparel, digital marketing, packaging and print while maintaining a recognizable Appalachian character.