Graphic Design ⎯⎯ 2023
Event Branding & Visual Identity
Overview
The Golden Gala was Rightfully Sewn’s premier biennial fashion fundraiser, inspired by the grandeur of New York’s Met Gala. Hosted in 2017, the event celebrated the historic legacy of garment manufacturing in Kansas City’s Garment District while raising funds to support seamstress training and local fashion entrepreneurship. With an elite guest list of Kansas City’s high-profile figures and businesses, the event demanded a sophisticated visual identity that captured both history and modern elegance.
Design Challenge
Craft a complete visual identity for an exclusive fashion gala that reflects:
• The opulence of Kansas City’s golden era of garment manufacturing
• The elegance and exclusivity of high-fashion events
• The precision and craft of garment design
The branding needed to evoke emotion, establish authority, and visually connect the legacy of the past to the fashion-forward future Rightfully Sewn aims to build.
My Role
As the Graphic Designer for Rightfully Sewn’s inaugural Golden Gala in 2017, I was entrusted with visually capturing the elegance, mission, and community-driven spirit of the event through branding, print materials, and digital assets.
Creative Direction
Theme & Concept
The concept for the design revolved around "opulent, gold carpet experience" to celebrate Kansas City's heritage and future. I took inspiration from my background in fashion design to weave a narrative of craftsmanship into the branding. Taking inspiration from vintage garment construction techniques, pattern-making, and couture aesthetics, the visuals celebrated the golden legacy while speaking to the organization’s mission of economic empowerment through fashion.
⎯⎯ Color Palette
Golden: Symbolizing prosperity, heritage, and celebration.
Deep Purple: A regal counterpart, adding depth, luxury, and contrast.
This combination evoked richness and sophistication, perfectly aligned with the gala’s black-tie nature.
GG PURPLE GG GOLD GG WHITE
⎯⎯ Typography
Cardo: A classic serif font that brought historical weight and elegance.
One Day: A geometric, modern sans-serif that added a contemporary, fashion-forward contrast.
Together, these fonts balanced tradition with modernity, a reflection of the gala’s dual purpose: honoring the past, investing in the future.
⎯⎯ The Isometric Gold Grid
To highlight the meticulous craft behind fashion design, I created a golden isometric grid, used as a recurring graphic motif across the event’s collateral.
Meaning: Measurement and construction — fundamental to garment-making.
Function: A subtle, consistent texture across the designs that tied everything together, from print to digital.
Style: Fine lines in shimmering gold gave the feeling of architectural elegance and fashion blueprint.
⎯⎯ The Logo
The Golden Gala logo was designed to embody elegance, craftsmanship, and historical richness. It featured a refined wordmark using the One Day typeface, accented with geometric detailing inspired by the isometric grid motif. The gold-toned typography symbolized opulence and legacy, while the precise angles and alignment reflected the technical precision of garment construction. Subtle nods to vintage fashion labels were incorporated, creating a logo that was both timeless and rooted in the tradition of Kansas City’s garment district.
Deliverables
• Save the Date & Invitation Suite
• Event Program
• Stage & Step-and-Repeat Backdrops
• Envelopes
• Window Decals
• Business Cards
• Social Media Graphics
• Website Assets & Email Banners
• Signage & Donor Boards
Social Media posts
Envelope design
Step & Repeat design
Impact
The branding elevated the event’s prestige and visually aligned it with high-end fashion galas, leading to strong community engagement and donor participation. The cohesive identity helped Rightfully Sewn make a powerful statement about fashion as both an art form and a catalyst for economic development.
Reflection
This project was a unique opportunity to merge my fashion design roots with my graphic design skills. By drawing on tailoring techniques and couture aesthetics, I was able to infuse authenticity into the visual identity. The Golden Gala remains one of my most meaningful projects, a celebration of legacy, craftsmanship, and community upliftment through design.