Nike x Mardi Gras Fall/ Winter Concept Collection
The Task:
As a junior fashion graphics designer, I was tasked with creating a textile collection inspired by a specific geographical location. I selected a neighborhood, city, country, or culture to serve as the foundation for my designs. The goal was to develop original textile concepts tailored to a target market, intended for use in future product development for our brand's apparel line.
Skills Used
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Researched Mardi Gras traditions and aesthetics to develop a culturally resonant concept.
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Built a cohesive theme and visual story for a collaborative seasonal collection.
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Created a digital mood board using Adobe (Photoshop/Illustrator/InDesign) to communicate the collection’s inspiration and direction.
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Developed a custom seasonal color palette aligned with both Nike branding and Mardi Gras symbolism.
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Designed original icons and motifs to be used in textile prints and branding details.
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Transformed icons into repeat patterns and surface designs suitable for apparel production.
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Applied patterns to garment mockups to visualize the final product.
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Produced clean, detailed flat sketches of each piece to communicate design intent for development.
The Process
Conceptualization:
The concept for this collection was born from the vibrant energy, history, and cultural richness of Mardi Gras. I was inspired by the bold colors, symbolic imagery, and celebratory spirit that define the tradition, and sought to reimagine them through the lens of Nike’s innovative and performance-driven brand identity. My goal was to fuse cultural storytelling with athletic streetwear, creating a collection that feels both expressive and functional. By drawing from elements like parade costumes, jazz heritage, and iconic Mardi Gras symbols, I built a concept that celebrates individuality, movement, and the power of community—all while staying rooted in the seasonal needs of a Fall/Winter line.
Visual Conceptualization:
The visual conceptualization of this project began with an immersive moodboarding process, where I curated imagery that reflected the essence of Mardi Gras—its bold colors, dynamic energy, and cultural symbolism. Using Adobe Photoshop and Illustrator, I created a mood board that served as a visual foundation for the collection’s aesthetic, helping to translate abstract ideas into a cohesive design direction. From there, I developed a seasonal color story that captured the vibrant spirit of Mardi Gras while aligning with Fall/Winter fashion trends. The final palette balanced deep jewel tones and festive brights to reflect both celebration and seasonal wearability, setting the tone for the patterns and garment designs that followed.
Icons and Patterns:
Drawing directly from my mood board, I identified key visuals and symbols that captured the spirit of Mardi Gras—such as masks, beads, and jazz instruments—and transformed them into custom icons using Adobe Illustrator. These icons served as the foundation for my textile designs, allowing me to build repeat patterns that were both expressive and cohesive. I carefully arranged and scaled the icons to create balanced, wearable prints that reflected the cultural vibrancy of Mardi Gras while staying true to Nike’s energetic and bold brand identity. These patterns were later applied to garments to bring the concept to life in a functional and fashion-forward way.
Visuals Finished
Application to Garments:
Once the patterns were finalized, I applied them to digitally sketched garments to visualize how they would function on actual pieces within the collection. Using Adobe Illustrator, I created a full set of technical flats that showcased the silhouettes, fabric placements, and construction details for each look. Each flat included not only the integrated pattern work but also annotations on fabric choices, color variations, and garment features. To present a well-rounded concept, I also included estimated pricing and product breakdowns, reflecting considerations for market positioning and production feasibility. This step helped bridge creative design with commercial planning, ensuring the collection felt both visually compelling and retail-ready.
The Outcome:
This project served as my final piece for the course, and it was incredibly rewarding to see the full concept come to life from initial inspiration to finished presentation. The Mardi Gras x Nike collection allowed me to apply everything I had learned—from visual research and textile design to technical garment development and market analysis. The final outcome reflected a strong blend of creativity, cultural relevance, and design strategy, and I was genuinely proud of how cohesive and vibrant the collection turned out. It not only showcased my ability to build a concept-driven line but also pushed me to think about the relationship between storytelling and commercial fashion. I'm very happy with the results and how it represented my growth as a designer.
