Basics For Life

01 Background

After a series of controversies, American Apparel fell from grace and filed for bankruptcy. Gildan bought the brand and prepared a relaunch.

02 Brief

Create a brand identity that respected American Apparel’s iconic status but brought it up to date for a more ethically conscious customer, across retail and wholesale.

03 Solution

A brand audit showed the icon lived in three things: candid photography, unfussy all-American art direction, and witty copy celebrating individuality.

We kept those, built the messaging around “Basics For Life”, refocused photography on authentic self-expression, and expanded the palette to match the clothes. The typography elevated basics, literally: we lifted the word.