Gym Apparel Logo Design

My Thoughts:

So, just how do you create a sleek compact logo for a brand with a really long name that remains related to the existing brand name but without the use of the brand initials or any iconography remotely related to the industry in which the brand operates?

Well the honest answer is that you don’t..!

At least you don’t unless you want a really weak, generic and diluted final logo that has nothing to do with anything and appeals to no-one in particular.

At the start of this project there were so many stipulations in place that I knew at some point either a compromise would have to be made and/or I would have to (using some exceptional design wizardry) change the clients preconceptions as to just how great a MFF or M based motif could look (remember at the outset this was the one thing that they absolutely did not want).

So, initially we started out with a wide range of emblems and motifs and typographical concepts. It was, as it sometimes is,  a matter of showing the client what wouldn’t work first, before then showing them what would work.

As a designer, one of my biggest challenges is often to change peoples mindsets or preconceived notions. Often I can visualise early in the process how a design will look and work, for clients however that often isn’t so easy.

The design process is sometimes about visualising a clients pre-conceived ideas for them and pointing out (gently) why they don’t/won’t work as they imagined.

99% percent of the time the moment the client sees a bad idea visualised they realise for themselves that perhaps they were too quick to dismiss your initial advice/input.

Some of these scenarios were applicable to the MFF project, there was definitely an element of changing a preconceived mindset, but this is more common than you might think, almost every design project has some degree of the designer having to challenge the client.

Any designer worth there salt will tell you when your ideas will not translate well into practise or when the constraints you place on a project are too strict. A good designer will open your mind and work with you to find the most elegant solution.

For MFF we narrowed our concepts down to two concepts (both MFF and M concepts!) and then I refined the final design into the motif you see here. 

The final design is a custom made stylised M which is formed from two F’s facing each other, separately you can interpret the MFF and combined you have a smart looking single sleek M motif. The angles of the custom made lettering also give the two F’s an intentional 3D effect which is emphasised by the angles at the top and bottom of the motif.

I was really pleased with this one and guess what… the client loved it too.