YEW
SMALL BATCH JEWELRY FOR “ORGANIC FUTURES”
The Ask:
Work in cross-disciplinary teams to develop and manufacture a product that will be sold, in a small batch run or virtually, at the end of a 16 week period.
The Answer:
Following a 16 week development period, Yew’s capsule collection was displayed and sold at a makers market in downtown Cincinnati, Ohio. The collection consisted of earrings, necklaces, and three sizes of rings. Graphics were released VIA the Design by Yew Instagram page to generate hype leading up to the drop. Following the market, to give back to the community that built the brand, we were fortunate enough to follow through on our initial goals and donate 40% of our earnings to the AFSP (American Foundation for Suicide Prevention).
Roles:
Brand Ideation + Development
2D/3D/VR/Physical Development, Prototyping, and Visualization
Inter-Disciplinary Design Communication + Direction
At the intersection of liquidity and structure sits Yew, a unisex jewelry brand developed for the community it was built upon. Like a weed going through the sidewalk cracks, the visual identity of Yew plays upon the juxtaposition of natural materials and it’s industrial development.
ESTABLISHING A BRAND
WHAT IS DBY
Design by Yew is a small batch jewelry capsule designed during the F/W 22 season. The brand is derived from the concept of something organic growing in an urban environment, like a Yew.
CONCEPT DEVELOPMENT
DESIGN OBJECTIVES
Merge natural forms and industrial processes to create a capsule collection of jewelry for “organic futures”. Hone in on soft surreal form elements that will appeal to consumers as unisex.
BEAUTIFUL
DIGITAL INTEGRATION
SENSE OF COMMUNITY
UNISEX APPEAL
NATURAL INFLUENCES
RAPID DEVELOPMENT
EARLY PROCESS
Early mockups, user validation, and brand identity development.
TRIAL AND ERROR
CONCEPT REFINEMENT
Aesthetic ideation gave way to rapid prototyping and refinement of the production process. Pieces were waterjet cut from stainless steel sheets then sanded, cold formed, polished, and treated to prevent tarnishing.
DIGITAL BRANDING + DEVELOPMENT
ELEVATING THE AESTHETIC
“Organic futures” (integrating natural influence into the digital world) was a pillar we established to guide the brand from the start. Utilizing more than seven different programs, a proof of branding concept was developed further personally.
3D BRANDING + DEVELOPMENT
ENVIRONMENTAL EXPLORATIONS
In order to give the brand a broader sense of wonder, we took our campaign model on a journey through various 3D environments. Each environment reemphasizes the connection between our brand and nature for the wearers.
Environment 2: Meadows
Environment 1: Arctics
Environment 3: Mountains
Figure A.
Figure B.
Proof of Concept.
Figure C.
Figure D.
MADE IN DAAP
POP UP SHOP
At the pop up, we managed to more than double our initial investment. Thanks to the overwhelming support from those who joined us, we were happy to put 40% of Design By Yew’s profits back into the community through a donation to the AFSP.
Special thanks to Eli Lockett and Jessica Qu.