Fashion Logos & Branding That Steal The Show!

Is it just me or are there a plethora of fashion brands now available in-stores and online (pun intended)?

So, as someone who owns a fashion brand or is just about to take a step on the ramp, you must have a vision for your brand if I’m not wrong. I will always advise you to spend as much as you can on your fashion branding strategy. You are either in the game or out of it and it all depends on how your brand wears it.

What? Oh, didn’t you know I was talking about fashion logos? Every high-street fashion brand dresses itself in its logo and that’s precisely how amazing your clothing brand logo/fashion logo should be!

It all depends on where you intend to go in the fashion chain – at the top or keep hanging in the middle?

The competition in fashion knows no rest. The same stands true for fashion logos as well since they are after-all the face of your brand. Though, it’s not as much about competing as it is about simply standing out!

Have you ever noticed how the kings and queens of fashion like Chanel and Louis Vuitton love adorning their logo all over their products?

You must have observed that brand conscious folks prefer showing off that logo as a standard check – from underpants and bath towels to cufflinks, from undergarments to purses, these fashion logos are like embellishments for people of all genders who belong to what “they” call “the cream”.

Fashion logos: taking lessons from the maestros

The way I see it you’re either a hit in fashion or a flop. There’s no middle ground. Of course there are steps that every brand has to climb to reach the top – you try to jump and you’ll end up hurting yourself.

I’m not advising you to copy any of the famous brands because creating an identity is all about standing out. However, it always helps to learn from the best along the way. Allow me to guide you on the quest for a clothing brand logo that fashion folks will proudly flaunt in years to come.

1. Ted Baker – how to be minimal and stand out?

With its roots in the land of the Royals, Ted Baker is renowned internationally for its hip designs and quirky styles amongst both men and women. Its logo has been there and stays there – yup, it stood the test of time and why wouldn’t it?

The minimalism is mesmerizing. No, there’s no pixie dust on it yet you won’t mistake it for a mediocre brand’s logo and here’s why:

This clothing brand logo uses the power of black combined with the elegance of white. The logo is a simple word mark, but one that catches your eye due to the smart spacing between the letters. The letters “TED BAKER” are written in a font larger than the “London” text below.

You see it, don’t you? The element of surprise here is that Ted Baker is a brand that goes way behind the times when minimalism became a trend yet here the logo is looking as contemporary as ever without any tweaks. That’s lesson number 1 for your fashion logo design: your logo shouldn’t just stand out, it needs to stand the test of time.

Do take note of the TB monogram used on their accessories. Nothing fancy, just a TB within a square and that’s all people need to see to think “Oh this guy/gal’s got style” (and cha ching).

2. Ray Ban – how to depict your style in a fashion logo?

Every iconic brand’s logo has something new to teach you. All you need is the right eye and guide – aka me.

A personal favorite of the Red Carpet. Ray Ban isn’t of course your conventional clothing brand, but fashion isn’t restricted to the cloth now is it?

Eyewear is just as much of a fashion essential as a handbag or even jacket. The leading eye-wear brand, Ray Ban has a whole glamorous history but I’ll talk about that some other day, in another blog perhaps.

Let’s take a look at the logo now, shall we?

First thing’s first. Ray Ban is an Italian/American Brand – the font seems to be in italics. I haven’t tilted the logo – this is exactly how it looks.

The logo once again has survived everything from changing tastes and trends to evolutions in technology.

It’s sleek, simple with an energetic touch.

The diagonal positioning of the word mark complements the brand’s persona – it reflects energy, dynamism and a bit of fun.

From sportsmen to movie stars and businessmen, anybody who’s a “somebody” can be seen driving around in the sun flaunting a Ray Ban visor. The fashion branding and logo of Ray Ban thus convey the message of fun and sophistication in one!

3. Versace – how to combine persona and history into a clothing logo?

As anyone who wants to pursue the fashion industry either as a designer or a fashion brand owner, you must always know two things about Versace: how to pronounce it and the fantasy behind its logo.

If you own a Versace (ver-sa-chey), you’ve made it quite big wherever you are! That’s how much luxury this brand represents – you don’t save to buy Versace, you just have the power to spend money without second thoughts.

I know you’re not going through this blog with a history lecture in mind but this is where I show you how your fashion logo can be simple yet mystical and have an entire thought process behind it.

The history: 

Being a Greek born, Gianni Versace was inspired by Greek Mythology. He wanted the touch of Greece in his fashion brand’s logo. He could have just added any element that represents the country like a Greek alphabet/symbol or any ornament from ancient times.

But, Versace wanted to go far from being called cliché.

He was inspired by the legend of Medusa who was turned into a Gorgon (a woman with snakes as hair) by the Goddess Athen. She was punished for seduction and her appealing long hair were transformed into ugly snakes.

That wasn’t so boring now, was it?

What has this Greek myth got to do with Versace’s fashion branding? Gianni wanted his brand logo to illustrate allurement, power and a never-ending appeal – the three core traits that Medusa possessed!

Hence, Versace’s logo showcases an emblem with a vector of Medusa’s face.

How can this information/inspiration help you get the perfect clothing logo for your brand?

Uniqueness doesn’t have to come from a word mark or a creative image – your logo can tell a

great story that also tells your customers “this is our persona”.

If you’re looking for an elegant fashion logo with a unique tale to tell, you needn’t worry about where to get one designed. Just contact me and I’ll craft an identity for your brand that truly stands out.

4. Peteralexander – how to define your audience with a fashion logo?

Oh no, there’s no mistake here. The name peteralexander is actually written in lowercase instead of the usual uppercase used in most fashion logos. Now that’s part of the beauty of this logo and I’ll come to that in just a bit.

So peteralexander, a brand started by a man is actually…..need a little drum roll here….

A very popular Australian ladies’ nightwear brand!

For those who knew that already, you’ve done your research. But, for those who didn’t I know it might come as a little shocker because usually when we hear about ladies lingerie or nightwear, our mind jumps towards a lady – Victoria Beckham for instance.

Now see the logo and you won’t be so surprised:

You see it now, don’t you? The pink says it all – something we’ve learned from color psychology. When you want a brand that caters primarily to females, think pink. That’s precisely what Peter Alexander did. He let his clothing logo do the talking and reveal his brand’s genre or core target market.

Notice how delicate the font is – and in lowercase (to show a soft look). Another great way of depicting that the brand is dedicated to feminine apparel – though the store and website isn’t

restricted to this category.

Yes my friends, the brand has expanded its clothing line, with apparels and accessories for men and even kids yet Peter wanted the identity to remain feminine.

Peter’s own success story is worth a short blog as he himself says:

“it all started with a simple idea and a simple spot!”

However, even after his pajama brand became a hit amongst celebs and high-fashion geeks, Peter had a story to tell via his new logo – a variation of the same one, used on his website and at outlets.

What’s an image of a dog doing in a fashion brand’s logo?!

Well, of course this could be misleading had Peter not established a prominent name in the industry already. With peteralexander already a popular label for notable figures, there was no harm including an emotional aspect to his fashion branding.

Trivia: Peter was always an animal lover. He completely fell in love with a homeless dachshund puppy that he adopted. Soon Penny the puppy became a part of Peter’s fashion branding and the clothing brand’s logo.

Now see the logo once more. You’ll be in awe of it.

Lesson: once you’ve made it big, including a powerful emotional story to your fashion branding and logo can actually give your brand a new spark and energy.

5. Hermes – embracing your brand’s history in a fashion logo

Following trends is good but there’s no law for it. If you can depict the “Where it all started from?” as you grow your brand, your fashion logo actually gets a class of its own.

Oh yeah, the fashion crew loves to wear a brand with a grand history. If you can show that in your logo – bonus points!

Another history lesson coming up! You can’t admire the logo till you know the story.

The brand that was established in 1837 – (yep it’s ancient pals) – started off as a saddle manufacturer.

Yes, I’m taking about actual leather horse saddles for professional riders here. Founded by Thierry Hermes as a harness workshop in Paris, the brand expanded owing to the efforts of his son Charles-Emile. Not only did he introduce saddle-making but also launched the first leather bags production, for horse riders!

Mademoiselles and Monsieur, Hermes is now amongst the most expensive brands renowned for their leather goods, accessories including jewelry and perfumes! From horse saddles to fragrances – it must have been quite a ride.

You can finally be inspired when you see their logo.

The logo with a Duc Carriage blessed the fashion logo world with tis presence in 1950. I needn’t explain the horse drawn carriage, right? Even though the company discovered new goals and functions, Hermes wanted to proudly show-off its roots and origin.

How should your clothing logo design look like?

Oh yes! The ultimate question: “This is all really good inspiration, but how do I know what my fashion logo design should look like?”

“Do I use orange or pink? History or mythology?”

There’s just one simple answer to all the questions hitting your mind’s walls: it all depends on your brand vision!

Did you think I was going to leave your brain in a storm?

Only a professional design agency can really help you determine the right track for your brand depending on your vision but here are a few factors that may affect the final design of your logo.

1. What’s your class?

Are you catering to the average retail shopper (the masses) who looks at a price tag (I mean no offense, I’m one of those people) or do you intend to reach the high-street? Your logo needs to communicate which class your brand represents?

From the font you use to any symbols or icons, your fashion logo needs to be an illustration of luxury. You can be a minimalist and still appeal to the top-notch niche.

The crown says it all for Rolex but so does the font complemented by the colors – gold for luxury and green for prosperity. Rolex targeted its fashion branding towards anyone who doesn’t need to think “can I afford this?”

Someday I will! (Hey, can’t blame a person from dreaming big).

The logo for Rolex is an iconic example of a luxury brand’s logo –  a brand that wants to make it clear “we are royalty”. The crown also supports Rolex’s own slogan “a crown for every achievement”.

2. Are you gender biased?

(Pun intended). I mean no offense of course, I just didn’t want you to lose interest. Many brands want to cater to a single gender. If you have no intentions to target the macho clan in the future, you can make your logo look as feminine as possible. (see the example of peteralexander above).

Feminine fashion logos mostly use pastels, softer colors and delicate fonts.

Victoria Secret has always been a benchmark for fashion branding if you don’t have any plans to target another group. The brand incorporates luxury and femininity into a simple V and S. 

3. Is your fashion young?

I’m not referring to your brand’s age here. I’m talking about the age group! You can’t really sell dungarees for toddlers under a Victoria’s Secret logo now, can you?

I know you’d love a minimalist logo like Ray Ban or Ted Baker, especially after reading such fascinating stories about their logos, but will it tell what you sell?

Now, there’s no rule book that says you can’t grow your brand to cater to the little ones. But, if the idea behind your brand is primarily to focus on small frocks and tiny denims, your clothing logo design will be very different from everything I just discussed.

Think childish! Let colors run wild here. Your fashion logo should represent innocence and fun.

Take a closer look at the example of Kids & Co. above. The “&” is creatively designed like a chick to add the element of fun and adorability. When you’re designing a kids fashion logo always remember to keep things on the softer, innocent side. Even your fonts! See how lowercase is used instead of uppercase and the fonts aren’t so sharp.

Be the best with the best fashion logo!

My job here isn’t done yet! You can always contact me when you want the best fashion logo designed. Let’s discuss your brand vision and what fashion branding strategy can best dress-up your brand!