Queen of Spades
Sometimes Change is Refreshing
As you are reading this, our Head Doll + CEO, Caroline, is in New Orleans presenting a keynote on all things PR, social media and branding at the Inspire Design Workshop. (PS: Full recap on the blog coming soon!) A question that she gets asked all the time: Would a brand refresh even benefit me if my brand has already been established for years? Our answer? YES!
Photo via- @katespadeny
Think about it this way - - From the time you started your brand, have you evolved? (Hopefully the answer is YES!) Well, if you have evolved, it’s safe to assume your services/products/pricing have, too. So, your brand might need a mini refresh!
Interestingly enough, Kate Spade recently went through a rebrand (right?!) and we have all the details you need to know! Don’t worry though, the brand you’ve grown to love still has the same look and feel, but elevated!
Kate Spade has always encouraged women to express themselves through fashion in their own unique way. The brand’s new Creative Director, Nicola Glass, wanted to continue that mission with the redesign — but with a modern twist. The refresh works towards appealing to a more fashion forward audience, while still remaining playful and quirky.
Photo via- @katespadeny
LOGO
Gone is the familiar green of Kate Spade. It has been replaced with a shade of pink called “Candy Pink,” and, yes — we are absolutely obsessed with it! But, if you were a fan of the previous logo, don’t worry! You will still see the shade called, “Clover Green” popping up throughout the brand.
She made sure to take key elements of the brand and enhance them in the redesign. Most brands have a symbol that they use to define themselves— ours is a heart in the color #ffccff! It was important to Glass to put more emphasis on the spade as the brand’s symbol. The shape has been totally revamped and is now split in two, and featured in a multitude of colors. Some of the new bags have even been designed with hardware in the shape of a spade, that when turned become a heart!
Photo via- Vouge
FONT
Although the spade has been removed from the main logo, the brand has kept the iconic sans-serif type face. Recently, many fashion rebrands have been opting for thinner, and smoother logos — but Kate Spade choose to maintain its playful identity by carrying the old font into the new brand!
COLOR
Glass focused on new color pairings — like lilac and yellow — and toning down the more eccentric pieces that the brand was once known for. Her reasoning behind the rebrand was to be able to appeal to new customers while still keeping the die hard Kate Spade fans happy too. This is exactly why a brand refresh is so important! As you grow, you want your client base to grow along with you!
Photo via- Kate Spade
MOOD
The playful style of Kate Spade is still ever present. With its bold colors and quirky patterns still being at the forefront. However, the rebrand feels much lighter! The pieces released in Glass’ Spring 2019 Capsule Collection perfectly blend the fun and feminine style of the old brand, but with the sophistication of the rebrand. Creating a collection that highlights the brand’s growth and future in the fashion industry.
But, one of the best parts of the refresh? The official brand was revealed in the latest Elle Magazine! The team at Kate Spade, along with Glass, designed a sleeve exclusively for the 2019 Spring Fashion Issue, showcasing the new and improved branding. Overall, we are absolutely in love! Glass’ vision has major vintage 70’s vibes, but still stays true to the best parts of the iconic brand.
By incorporating the classic elements of the Kate Spade brand into the new design, Glass has created a fresh feel for the company that will attract new clients but keep old clients happy, too. By continuously elevating your brand, you are anticipating the needs of your client. Which is why even after 10 years — or in Kate Spade’s case 26 years — it’s never too late for a brand refresh!
At the end of the day, when it comes to branding, Caroline always says, “When you stay true to yourself you have no competition!” We would love to help you continue to elevate your brand as you succeed in business! Let’s chat about what we can do together!
Xo,
The PR Dolls