Erik Hernandez
Production spec for the Halloween mask badge, a red-faced figure in a black hat measuring 43 by 43.5 mm with stitch and cut lines and its side profile, above five color chips in fluorescent red, red, black, teal, and fluorescent lime.

Halloween

Mood board of vintage Halloween masks, a snarling black cat, a red patterned print, and a neon green sneaker, above a palette of teal, green, lime, red, and burgundy.
A pair of teal insoles printed with the black cat mask.
Three mask graphics stacked, a black cat, a green creature, and a red-faced figure in a hat.
Halloween colorway, a red basketball shoe with a teal and black sole and a mask badge at the heel.
Halloween colorway, a green and black runner with a cellular upper, a white midsole, and the green creature mask at the heel.
Halloween colorway, a red runner with a grey heel, a white midsole, and the black cat mask at the heel.

Qixi Festival

Mood board of night skies, fireworks, a magpie in flight, and dark fashion and footwear, above a palette of teal, green, coral, plum, and navy.
Two round badges with a stylized magpie, labeled Altair and Vega, beside a pair of starry insoles fading from purple to coral with magpie heel graphics.
Qixi Festival colorway, a black runner with a blue and red gradient upper and a starry speckled midsole, with its tongue graphic above.
Qixi Festival colorway, a purple runner fading to red with a cellular midsole, with its heel graphic and 361° pull tab above.

Landscapes of China

Mood board of terraced hills, a white heron sculpture, a temple roof, misty mountains, and marble, above a palette of cream, peach, brick, sage, and pale blue.
Four Northwest badges, two round and two shield-shaped, each with brown mountain peaks under a pale sun.
Landscapes of China colorway, a dusty pink runner with brick stripes and a cream and brown midsole.
Landscapes of China colorway, a brick and tan mid-top with a cream midsole and a ring pull at the heel.

Brief

361° asked us for color direction for its 2020 footwear collection: themed stories that could carry across the line, each with a palette and graphics ready to apply to product.

Process

Each story began as a mood board and palette, then grew into graphics and colorways built around a seasonal moment. Qixi Festival draws on Altair and Vega, the two stars of the Qixi legend, with magpie badges, starry insoles, and speckled midsoles. Landscapes of China pairs warm earth tones with mountain badges inspired by the country’s northwest. Halloween turns vintage masks into heel badges, insoles, and bold colorways.