Book Cover & Editorial Design
Aki and Koichi (@akiandkoichi) are a septuagenarian couple who have charmed social media with their playful approach to fashion and inspiring outlook on life.
In Life / Style, they share their personal journey—from immigrating to America and navigating life's challenges to the meaningful role fashion and personal style have played in shaping their identities.
Quarto Group brought me on to design both the cover and interior of the book. Working closely with creative director Yuri Kim, whose vision for her parents' first book guided the project, we thoughtfully curated imagery to complement their story and developed a French-inspired color palette that reflects their distinctive aesthetic. The typography pairs the modern simplicity of Futura with the classic character of Clarendon, capturing the balance of contemporary and timeless influences that defines Aki and Koichi's personal styles.
Branding & Website Redesign
Wellness East creates holistic and intentional wellness products that tap into the rich heritage, time-honored traditions and efficacious ingredients of Okinawa, Japan. For this project, Yuri and I collaborated in bringing brand clarity for this elevated wellness and beauty brand. We wanted to make sure to keep the Japanese connection whilst also bring a natural and warm aesthetic.
For the website, the play with full bleed and split lifestyle photography provides more context to the product and support the elevated wellness story centered around their natural ingredients.
For the branding, the main logo typeface adds an elegant and refined element that feels modern but has nods to Japanese tradition. It is with the muted color palette and scale of typography where we wanted to keep things soft and approachable.
Creative Direction: Yuri Kim
Art Direction: Yuri Kim & Christopher Tuyay
Web Design: Christopher Tuyay
Photography: Hannah Choi
— Curation, Spatial Design
As part of 3daysofdesign in Copenhagen, the 360° exhibition showcased the processes and prototypes from 50 graduating designers and architects from the Institute of Architecture and Design as the Royal Danish Academy. I took part in a small student curation group that organized its development and execution. During the process, I conversed with students about their project's thematics and proposed curation concepts. It was my influence in showcasing students not based on their end products but different self-identified process methods. Moreover, my concept contributed to the design of the circular tables that offered groupings but also pathways. My thesis project was also showcased in the exhibition.
Photos by: Niklas Adrian Vindelev
Environmental Graphic Design & Spatial Design
As lead designer for Beyond Yoga’s New York pop-up, I drew on my background in both spatial and graphic design to lead the creative process through a fast-paced turnaround. Annotated floor plans and AI-assisted mockups helped the team navigate the space, visualize concepts, and align stakeholders on key design decisions.
From concept through execution, I translated these ideas into the physical environment, collaborating directly with vendors to produce signage and graphic assets throughout the space. I also extended the visual direction beyond the store, designing supporting marketing collateral including an oversized shopping bag, email creative, and branded takeaways.
Branding, Graphic Design & Packaging
I designed the logos for Beyond Yoga’s event activations and pop-ups. I also worked on incorporating the branding into digital marketing as well as swag for the events.
Graphic Design
This is a selection of digital work for Beyond Yoga which spans web, email and organic/paid social. I have experience working within brand and ecom style guides. I also have contributed to the development of component libraries of modules and templates.
— Creative Direction, Art Direction, Print Design, Web Design, Film Direction
O.N.S Clothing believes in producing “Menswear for Modern Living.” Inspired by the Urban Transplant, the brand caters to individuals who have lived in different cities. For the past three seasons, I’ve directed campaigns with this brand narrative that follows the experiences of someone making a change for a new life in another city. The Fall 2019 campaign “Now Arriving” captures the emotions, doubts and aspirations of relocating to a new city for a dream job. For Spring 2020’s campaign “Urban Excursion”, we continue to follow our protagonist as he gets acclimated to the city and begins to explore the city by day. And with the particular circumstances of Fall 2020, “Nocturnica” shows how his life from day to night have changed because of social distancing.
— Creative Direction, Art Direction, Branding, Print, Packaging
O.N.S offers menswear for modern living. The branding needed to be clean but still have an approachability. Ollie, the friendly brand mascot, acted as a helpful concierge that pops up around in the marketing and customer interactions. The modernist pattern that played on the dots from the logo showed up on in-store packaging to signage for events. During my time at O.N.S, I’ve worked with internal team and external consultants on continually evolving the brand’s aesthetic and story.
— Art Direction, Environmental Design
The O.N.S New York flagship store was designed by Collective Studio and Tang & Kawasaki Studio. During the design process, I worked with the architects in providing feedback for brand look and feel and potential uses of the space. I had to opportunity to design the storefront sign, a modular wall fixture and store hangers. Working with interiors photographer Eric Petschek and stylist Johnny Riberio, I also art directed the interiors shoot.
— Apparel Graphics, Art Direction
The O.N.S Summer 2021 capsule collection was inspired by surreal art that makes us reimagine our daily lives. I designed the graphic tees and the Mind Maze print. I also art directed the campaign shot by photographer Daniel Dorsa.
— Art Direction & Print
This is the holiday edition of the newsprint publication for O.N.S Clothing. I designed and laid out the entire 32-page tabloid-size newspaper. I also art directed all of the editorial shoots featured in the piece. This bi-annual newspaper was distributed at the store in Soho as well as various other locations in NYC and Tokyo.
— Art Direction, Set Design, Casting
At New York Men’s Day during NY Men’s Fashion Week, I directed O.N.S’s first presentation show inspired by the collection’s theme of Aerial Utility. I designed the set to feature a graphic runway with two large checker banners. We also partnered with Crash Baggage to create two installations of suitcases. Models would periodically queue up around the runway as airport announcements occurred over the speakers. I also casted all the models.
Stylist: Mac Huelster / Jermaine Daley
Videographer: Derek Siyarngnork
Photos: Andy Jackson
