Before the first Phantom Rider collection was finished I began development on the next season's line, with updates to various design elements to bring more cohesion between the products and the "Phantom Rider" name concept (which was introduced late in the development of the first package).
The new collection was also aimed at utilizing more modern materials and processes to formulate a Western footwear package that simultaneously "bucks and embraces" tradition.
The primary focus of design updates was the reshaping of the pull hole. In order to make the "Phantom Rider" title meaningful retroactively, the pull holes were redesigned to appear like eyes on the shaft of the boot, giving the impression of a phantom character.
The embosses noting the "Non-Metallic Toe" and "Electrical Hazard Rated" features (denoted within the industry simply as "EH") were redesigned to achieve better visual cohesion.
The toe bug/medallion was redesigned to make the collection distinct from existing products as well as competition. While this was initially well-received by the sales force, it was not adopted for production.
A custom geometric camo pattern was also developed for use on boot shafts.
The above images are Photoshop collage sketches that were used very early in development to gather feedback from the sales team regarding direction of this second collection.
***All development sketches, designs, stitch patterns, renderings, graphics, & photography done by myself, except where noted otherwise.***
Typefaces used:
- Apex Mk3, by Jeremy Nelson - jeremynelsondesign.com
- Gratis, by 7NTypes - 7ntypes.com
J. Taylor Smith
iamjtaylorsmith@gmail.com
2020.10.22
