Collective partnered with the BMW Designworks brand strategy team to create direction for a new masterbrand visual system for Lee, the nearly 150-year-old American denim brand. Progress with another agency had stalled, and Collective had only a typeface selection and Lee’s logo, called the Twitch, as starting points.

Collective delivered a simplified color palette that heavily leverages white and black, using color as pops. Lee’s photography was thoroughly evaluated and a new set of iconic images was created to inspire and provide direction for future top-level photoshoots. Most significantly, typography was pushed forward as a dominant feature of the new visual system. Using weight, scale and energized layouts, the type- and message-driven look was bold and assertive and carried an attitude that Lee felt was hard-earned and timely.