Patagonia
Global Visual Design Standards
Patagonia
Global Visual Design Standards
Information
Information
During our time at Son&Sons, we partnered with Patagonia’s design team to organize and strengthen the visual foundation they’d built over decades. As the company expanded into new markets, we refined a system weighed down by redundancies and inconsistencies—consolidating years of design knowledge into a unified visual language. The result was a set of global and retail design standards that brought clarity, consistency, and cohesion to every brand communication. To ensure lasting alignment, we developed materials to help internal teams and external partners understand and embrace the new system.
Brand Audit & Visual Documentation
Our work began with a visit to Patagonia’s Ventura, CA headquarters to gain firsthand understanding of how the brand operated across teams and touchpoints. Through on-site observation and stakeholder interviews, we gathered insights into existing practices, challenges, and areas of strength. We conducted a comprehensive audit across product, retail, marketing, and digital channels—documenting visual assets, identifying inconsistencies, and mapping opportunities for greater cohesion. The result was a detailed inventory of the brand’s visual ecosystem and a clear understanding of where refinement would have the most impact.
Global Visual Design Standards
We developed a unified identity system that defined the use of logo, typography, color, photography, and layout—supported by clear rules for consistent application across mediums. The standards included a brand manifesto and messaging framework, alongside visuals and examples for best practices that served as practical guidance for brand teams worldwide.
Global Visual Design Standards: Retail
Building on insights from the audit, we extended the system into retail environments—establishing standards for signage, interiors, displays, and wayfinding. We created templates and visual examples for in-store promotions, packaging, and seasonal storytelling, helping unify the retail experience under a consistent design language.
Brand On-Boarding and Enablement
To ensure successful adoption, we created a digital brand standards platform with downloadable assets, a concise reference guide, and onboarding tools for internal teams and partners. These resources made it easy to maintain consistency and uphold the new standards across global teams.
System-Wide Applications
We demonstrated how the system came to life through representative implementations across corporate, marketing, digital, and product environments. Each example served as a contextual reference for art direction, layout, and production—ensuring the system was not only strategic but also actionable.
Credits
Patagonia
Chief Marketing Officer: Joy Howard
Global Executive Creative Director: Dmitri Siegel
Director of Global Marketing: Strick Walker
Global Director Visual Design: Chris Beasley
Retail Art Director: Sunday Rylander
Son&Sons
Strategy and Creative Direction: Wade Thompson
Design Lead: Jack Whitman
Designers: Michael DiCristina, Larry Luk
Project Management: Christina Del Rocco
During our time at Son&Sons, we partnered with Patagonia’s design team to organize and strengthen the visual foundation they’d built over decades. As the company expanded into new markets, we audited and identified incongruent system elements and refined years of design knowledge into a unified visual language. The result was a set of global and retail design standards that brought clarity, consistency, and cohesion to every brand communication. To ensure lasting alignment, we developed materials to help internal teams and external partners understand and embrace the new system.
Brand Audit & Visual Documentation
Our work began with a visit to Patagonia’s Ventura, CA headquarters to gain firsthand understanding of how the brand operated across teams and touchpoints. Through on-site observation and stakeholder interviews, we gathered insights into existing practices, challenges, and areas of strength. We conducted a comprehensive audit across product, retail, marketing, and digital channels—documenting visual assets, identifying inconsistencies, and mapping opportunities for greater cohesion. The result was a detailed inventory of the brand’s visual ecosystem and a clear understanding of where refinement would have the most impact.
Global Visual Design Standards
We developed a unified identity system that defined the use of logo, typography, color, photography, and layout—supported by clear rules for consistent application across mediums. The standards included a brand manifesto and messaging framework, alongside visuals and examples for best practices that served as practical guidance for brand teams worldwide.
Global Visual Design Standards: Retail
Building on insights from the audit, we extended the system into retail environments—establishing standards for signage, interiors, displays, and wayfinding. We created templates and visual examples for in-store promotions, packaging, and seasonal storytelling, helping unify the retail experience under a consistent design language.
Brand On-Boarding and Enablement
To ensure successful adoption, we created a digital brand standards platform with downloadable assets, a concise reference guide, and onboarding tools for internal teams and partners. These resources made it easy to maintain consistency and uphold the new standards across global teams.
System-Wide Applications
We demonstrated how the system came to life through representative implementations across corporate, marketing, digital, and product environments. Each example served as a contextual reference for art direction, layout, and production—ensuring the system was not only strategic but also actionable.
Credits
Patagonia
Chief Marketing Officer: Joy Howard
Global Executive Creative Director: Dmitri Siegel
Director of Global Marketing: Strick Walker
Global Director Visual Design: Chris Beasley
Retail Art Director: Sunday Rylander
Son&Sons
Strategy and Creative Direction: Wade Thompson
Design Lead: Jack Whitman
Designers: Michael DiCristina, Larry Luk
Project Management: Christina Del Rocco
