In a sea of ecru sweaters and rattan toys, Digsies is on a mission to make kidswear bold, playful, and sustainable.
studio
Independent
role
Brand Identity, Strategy, Digital
michelle g. walker
Naming, Strategy, Photography
and Styling
Why is it such a battle getting kids dressed? As a mother of two, Michelle G. Walker set out to fix this. Born out of her bedroom in Sunset Park, Brooklyn was Digsies—a one or few-of-kind, non-gendered kidswear line created with functional play and sustainability at its core. In Digsies, kids are empowered to play comfortably, explore freely, and make decisions confidently— even if it’s simply picking out what shirt to wear in the morning.
I worked closely with Michelle to craft an expressive identity that weaves together colorful, imperfect shapes and traversing typography to capture the boundless spirit of play. The use of rescued vintage fabrics paired with fits designed for durability and ease result in a modern brand transporting us back to our childhood.
And why the name “Digsies”? Well, because it’s just as much fun to say as it is to wear.
The Visual
Landscape of Play
What does the state of play look like? For Digsies, play is traversing, curious, and imperfect. It’s through play that children learn and explore, all the while building a sense of independence and selfhood. It’s through play that children learn and explore, all the while building a sense of independence and selfhood.
Inspired by the constructivism movement in education and art, bold colors and geometric shapes illustrate the functionality and essense of play. The one-of-a-kind shapes embody how children construct their identity and experiences in the world. In practice, the shapes contain type across web and print and act as a blank canvas for a child’s limitless imagination. Mirroring the creative process of play, the typography is free-flowing, further infusing movement into the visual identity.
Typography
A functional typeface is fitted for a brand championing the most functional play. The wordmark is Athletics—a playful and rounded sans-serif, set in lower-case. It’s paired with the friendly and retro ITC Souvenir typeface, a nod to the brand’s vintage patterns of the 70s, 80s, and 90s. Aktiv Grotesk is used for CTAs for web and for smaller text on brand collateral. The combination of such pairings results in a modern look touched by nostalgia.
Color
In a category where sustainability is often synonymous with monotony, Digsies instead leans into the bold. Because each fabric is one or few-of-a-kind, pattern and color combinations are often unexpected. Tapping into this, the color palette is vibrant, offering a punch.
A softer black and off-white offer contrast to the bold palette, allowing the colors and fabrics to be mainstage.