Fitsole® approached to assist in their global brand relaunch. From the streets of Cairo, to the burroughs of New York, Fitsole® was ready for a global takeover and needed a visual identity that was authentic and represented its aspirations.

An important task of this project was sticking to Fitsole’s streetwear roots. A clever, crucial element of the brand’s identity was the sticker design. We wanted customers to have the ability to ‘tag’ their favorite items – a nod to Fitsole’s roots in street culture, tagging and graffiti.

As a retailer that pools together the best sneakers and apparel from leading brands, Fitsole needed an identity that would capture their DNA, but also make space for the suite of brands they stock. Walking this delicate tightrope, we delivered a sans serif, all-lowercase wordmark set in Neue Montreal, that allows for a sense of “accessibility and authenticity,”. From the very get-go, one thing was clear – the identity had to reflect Fitsole’s global output.

Strategic insights showed that the market in this area had a bit of a problem with products not being authentic, but rather counterfeit. We carried this over into our design thinking and steered the design system not toward Egyptian heritage, but rather towards elevating the brand to be seen as a credible retailer, stocking authentic, top-shelf products, with a global vision of creating a collective and culture of like-minded sneakerheads. However, the Egyptian-ness of the brand is felt in other elements – from the color palette, that leads with the rich red of the national flag, to the illustrations on the stickers, that aim to infuse Egyptian history and even challenge certain stereotypes. The illustrations feature imaginative settings – from a snake rising from a sneaker in a trance-like state, to a camel confidently skateboarding through the bustling city streets while sporting a pair of sneakers.