More is More: Designing a Premium, High-Energy Wig Brand
Timeline: June 2026
Graphic Design
Website Design
Visual Branding
Brand Identity
Copy Writing
Graphic Design
Website Design
Visual Branding
Brand Identity
Copy Writing
Graphic Design
Website Design
Visual Branding
Brand Identity
Copy Writing
Context
Emmett Palmer is a NYC-based hairdresser specializing in vivid hair designs. Their social media presence, global hair education classes, and recent move into editorial photography reflect their hunger for creating art through hair.
Emmett came to me with a vision to extend their creative world through custom and one-of-one wigs, inviting others to express their individuality through hair as an artistic medium.
We set out to create a visual brand identity and polished website that are a natural extension of Emmett's social media, celebrating hair as art.
Target Audience
Gen-Z and Millennial creative individuals with loud creative expression
Creatives and brands looking for creative collaborations
Insights
Photography of Emmett Palmer's work is central to the brand visuals. Photography: Emmett Palmer and Matt Dickson.
Cheetah print is central to their current brand, as they have rocked cheetah print hair for the past three years. This already establishes brand recognition.
A Brand Identity Getting It's Wings
The creative process behind the mini branding package and e-commerce website for a creative brief with few constraints.
A Maximalist Fairy Inspiration
Based on a collaborative moadboard filled with bright editorial makeup looks, decorative swirly ironwork, brightly patterned tights, and runway looks, we worked to translate this maximalist editorial fairy into a visual language.
On a shaky Amtrak train on the way to NYC, I sketched and inked logo variations based on a study of a curvy, cursive outline style that has been trending.
Process Timelapse of Primary Logo Sketch
The Finished Cut
The chosen logo family for Emmett Palmer and their wigs, showcasing ranges from outlines to a chrome finish.
Primary Logo reading "Em Palmm" and secondary logos with their nickname "Em" or their initals, "EP," shown in white and black.
.png)
Photography by Matt Dickson, Styling by Monjia, Makeup by Andee and Marie Alouani
Logo System Turned Chrome
After deliberating between a bold sans serif font versus cursive lettering, we landed on a custom cursive logo to ensure the visuals were bold, unique, playful, and above all, one-of-one, saving the bold sans/serifs for the brand fonts.
The logo suite was ultimately transformed into a chrome finish to contrast with the brand’s visually dense world of patterned wigs, bold editorial photography, and signature cheetah print. The reflective metallic effect introduces a point of distinction, allowing the identity to stand apart while tapping into the renewed cultural relevance of chrome. It stands as a symbol of confidence, aspiration, and contemporary nostalgia.
A Maximilist Fairy Inspiration
The color palette is rooted in a light funky green and a poison berry hair dye color, building a youthful, bold, and fashion forward approach, with careful attention to a balance of invigorating fun energy while considering sheer eye strain.
Poison Berry
Funky Olive
Dark Teal
Persimmon
Marigold
EmPalmm Color Palette
Extended EmPalmm Color Palette for Web Design
Em in the World Wide Web
The website was designed with an imaginitaive fairy experience in mind, considering different audiences, from consumers to collaborators, from homepage to product page.
Homepage hero section, featuring high-quality photos of Emmett's work, their logo, and the main draws: shopping for their wigs and clip-ins, an option for custom products, or contacting them. Also shows a custom mouse image, featuring sketches of their work made for clients and classes.
A creative depiction of their brand values, celebrating individuality through hair as a medium, fostering creativity, and highlighting high-quality products.
Let's Take a Scroll
The website was designed with simplicity and scalability in mind. During the wireframing process, the primary goal was to create an intuitive e-commerce experience that met the brand’s immediate needs while leaving room for future functionality, such as client intake forms, class registrations, and additional services housed within a single digital destination.
Because the majority of traffic was expected to come from mobile devices, the mobile experience became a key focus throughout the design process. While preserving the visual impact of the desktop site, certain decorative elements were simplified or removed to improve usability on smaller screens. Components such as the footer logo were also adapted to ensure clarity and legibility across devices.
The "Shop Now" section of the homepage, featuring an oversized, eye-ctaching banner, a scrolling marquee to grab attention, and a call to action to view all products.
The "Custom Intake" section of the homepage, with the invitation to go to the cusotm page and subsequently submit an interest form. Features a graphic suggesting an outline for the veiwer's own idea, and emphasizing the viewer's experience, with the title reading "I Want Custom" and the button reading "Give Me Custom."
A Custom Fit
A graphic for the "Custom Intake" was developed for both the homepage and custom request page. Featuring the brand’s signature cheetah print alongside a model and a stencil silhouette, the banner invites viewers to imagine their own transformation, creating an engaging visual that reinforces the brand’s bold and expressive identity.
Homepage gallery of Emmett's selected work, an "about" section introducing Emmett, a contact form, and the footer, once again featuring their large-and-in-charge logo, as well as their signature cheetah print. These elements establish brand trust, authenticity, and professionalism.
Product page of EmPalmm's work, featuring a shop more section and a banner for shopping custom. The "Hair is Art" text marquee reminds viewers about the brand's primary value. The white background ensures consumers aren't overwlemed while browsing product information and making a purchase decision.