Every time I start dreaming of the next level of life and business and what could be possible if I reached a bit further, I invest in my visuals (branding, photography and website) to make it feel like it has already happened.
I wanted to have that feeling of it being so real that when it did show up in my reality, I was not only prepared but already existing within that world. There’s that saying: no risk, no reward. I have always found a way to back myself, knowing I’d rather take the risk and fail than sit in the same spot on my couch a year later, wondering what could have been if I’d made the move.
My big dream for years had been to be bi-coastal. I know Palm Springs well: it has beautiful weather, even more beautiful architecture and a friendly small-town feel combined with a high appreciation for design (come here for Modernism Week!) But, it’s not the most happening spot. This is a place people come to reset their nervous systems, go on retreats…and retire.
Palm Springs makes a great home base, but I knew I needed more contrast. I love the energy of being immersed in a city: the excitement around every corner, the layers of architecture from different eras, independent coffee shops and people who share the same insatiable go-getter energy. Cities force us to push through limiting beliefs, keeping us on our toes and in the game.
In my heart, I’ve always known I belong in New York. It’s the only place I’ve ever felt 100% seen. But I also love owning a home, being a short direct flight from Portland where my entire family lives, and having a studio in my backyard that I have complete creative control over (I’m a wallpaper and tile freak!)
As I felt more into what it would be like to have a bi-coastal design studio, I knew the Branch brand had to evolve. It had been designed in a completely different era (2013) and didn’t reflect the refinement we put into our current client projects. We’d spent so long giving everything we had to booked-in work that our own brand and assets fell to the back burner. This is so common for creatives; our own brands, marketing and websites always come last on the to-do list. When I started dreaming about what the brand needed to look and feel like in this next incarnation, it wasn’t a dramatic departure. It was more about refinement: cleaner, bolder and timeless.
As we built out the rebrand, I began stepping into dreaming bigger: what would this look like in New York City? Would it translate at a quick glance? Mocking up the brand in New York settings also helped me envision what it would be like to take the leap toward being bi-coastal. It began to feel real. As we were finalizing the rebrand last year, I finally cracked the bi-coastal code with my best friend and longest-time client, Gala Darling. We pooled our strengths, resources and the same dream we’d both been holding onto, and made bi-coastal work and life a reality.
The mockup ended up not being that far off from reality. One World Trade is five minutes down the road from the Branch Manhattan outpost. Branding is so much more than building out a strong, recognizable visual language. It’s a direct portal to what’s next. —Shauna
