Concept Project: Nike & UFC
A knockout combination
A while back, I asked for your thoughts on concept projects – those passion projects that let us explore, experiment, and push our creative boundaries. For me, they're invaluable for practicing and refining my design approach. With that in mind, I'm excited to share my latest personal concept: a vision for a Nike x UFC collaboration. Being a big sports fan, especially of the UFC, this was a natural fit.
The Project
Working in the apparel industry gives me a front-row seat to the world of athletic style, and I often find myself considering how certain designs could be elevated. Combat sports apparel, in particular, strikes me as a category with untapped potential. Driven by this observation, I initiated a personal project to explore the possibilities of a Nike x UFC collaboration. This design exercise delves into the dynamic relationship between combat sports and fashion, reflecting my professional experience and creative perspective. This project is entirely personal and speculative, intended to showcase my design process and is not associated with Nike or the UFC.
Design Elements
My initial design phase focused on developing key visual elements that captured the essence of combat sports. I created a series of hand-drawn textures, emphasizing the physicality and grit inherent in the sport. These were then combined with a seamless chain-link pattern inspired by the cage, creating versatile assets for the project.
With the initial concepts in place, I began applying them to the logos and other design elements. This involved incorporating the octagon shape and experimenting with various type layouts for apparel applications. This process also yielded another seamless pattern, further adding to the visual language of the collection.
Putting It Together
I then translated the initial concepts into comprehensive flat layouts to fully visualize the application of the patterns on fight and warm-up apparel. These layouts illustrate how the designs would appear on the garments, including the addition of the event number, athlete names, and designated areas for sponsor logos.
To bring the designs to life, I created mockups of the apparel. My approach prioritized a clean, modern aesthetic, strategically placing designs and logos in classic locations. Some garments feature multiple applications, showcasing the versatility of the designs across a range of tops, bottoms, and accessories.
So, there you have it – a glimpse into my creative process with this Nike x UFC concept. These kinds of explorations are invaluable for me as a designer, and I hope you found it interesting.
As a bonus, here are some free design assets from this project! You'll get 7 vector shapes and 2 seamless patterns for personal and commercial use. (Obviously, any copyrighted material isn't included.)
I'd love to hear your thoughts on this project – what resonates with you? And what's your take on concept projects in general? Let me know in the comments! Thanks for reading, and I'll see you in the next one.