Re-naming my blog and creating a logo

posted in: Designing | 12

I have decided to change the name of my blog from “Fit and Flare” to “Fabrickated”.

The main reason is that having two names can be confusing.

I called the blog Fit and Flare to try to get across my commitment to Fit -which is very important to me in terms of designing and making clothes. One of my favourite blogs is Fit for a Queen – and I love Mrs Mole because fit is everything to her too.  And this includes the concept of Flair (OK it’s a pun) – I want to fit in (at work, and in a social situation) but I also want to have  flair –  style as well as substance. So the title of Fit and Flare – which is a style of dress that fits the upper body and flares out in the skirt – appealed (and still does) to me. But Fabrickated is the stronger idea as it includes my name (Kate D[avies]) as well Fabric – another obsession – getting the right fabric is as important as getting the right fit.

In the end I have decided to let the Fit and Flare go.

As I will be renaming the blog I decided I would like a logo of my own. I therefore commissioned my friend Rachel to do it for me.

Rachel Hearn
Rachel Hearn

I thought you might be interested to see how she created the my logo.

She did some sketches featuring sewing paraphernalia.

Rachel Hearn designs for Fabrickated logo
Initial sketch

I loved the sketches! Rachel does make clothes and knows about sewing. So her ideas were very creative and exciting. I gravitated towards the most simple – the zigzagged name tape, and the pinked patchwork pieces idea (Rachel, who designed these on the train home) apologised for missing out the K in the patchwork logo (top left).

We settled on the patchwork idea, and she asked for some  colour schemes that I liked. This is a difficult question as there are endless possibilities! I initially chose colour schemes that were strong and authoritive that would work for men as well as women. These were red/navy/turquoise/white; navy, dark brown, forest green and white; and Rachel developed the pieces of cloth idea with a range of colour versions.  Rachel split up the colour scheme to spell out how I usually refer to the name of my blog. “Fabric – then Kate D”. I didn’t feel this worked as well. Always an issue when you have a real word spelt “wrong”. Isn’t the logo on what looks like linen or canvas interfacing cool?

ev (3)I liked the strong deep colours but I wanted a logo I loved. So I proposed a new colour scheme – brighter colours that I actually enjoy wearing – pink, blue, turquoise, yellow. I knew this would produce a prettier, feminine logo and wanted to see how I felt about it. Rachel came back with these these logos. I much preferred the white writing rather than the black and preferred the brighter, as opposed to the pastel look.

ev (1)Finally Rachel substituted the yellow which I always find a bit unsatisfactory in logos like this. Although I like yellow (and love it with white) it never quite holds its own against the other colours. Therefore I suggested more of a blue-grey neutral instead. And we came to this – the bottom one is the one I liked the best. Obviously once committed to a logo it is relatively easy to change the colour, and this one also works well in black and white (as shades of grey).

no3I feel pleased with this version of my new logo and it will appear on my blog as soon as I can work out how to do it!

 

 

 

 

12 Responses

  1. lynbromley

    They are great! I personally like the name-tape option the best as it seems more creative with the flowing lines. I like the patchwork idea too and using the colours of your silk painted fabrics is great. I wonder if it could look more water-colour rather than a block colour – it would make it look more artistic which is a big part of you. The squares represent your more logical side.

  2. annieloveslinen

    Doh! I didn’t get the play on words, or see your name, gosh sometimes I can be dense.

    I like the plainest canvassy one and I’d be tempted to use coloured lettering or italics for your first name.

    Off now to comment on your pink outfit, see you there.

  3. Alli

    Congratulations on your new logo — I like it! How awesome that your friend worked with you to make it! 🙂

    Every once in a while, I think I ought to make my blog name the same as my domain name or get a domain name that’s the same as my blog name, but then I second-thought my way out of it… 😀

  4. mrsmole

    I’m with Jay…white letters look crisp and modern! So glad you are changing to make thing more simple and “fitting” . Thank you for the mention…fit is everything and you are so lucky to have an artist who can create so many versions for you! Yeah Rachael!

  5. Amanda

    Very cool of you to share the process of your logo development – as a graphic designer it’s sometimes tough to communicate to someone how much work goes into the little mark that defines them, so it’s always good to see someone bringing some of that process to light 🙂 Congrats on the new logo & glad you love your new design! 🙂

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