Gripset Skate Co
Overview
My Role: Brand Strategy, Identity Design, Illustration, Web Design
Timeline: 4-6 Months
Tools: Illustrator, Photoshop, Wix
Gripset Skate Co is a fully realized skate brand I created from the ground up to merge street culture, design, and community. What started as a personal passion for skateboarding aesthetics evolved into a complete brand system spanning identity, apparel, merchandise, and digital presence.
Skateboarding has always been part of my life. I grew up playing Tony Hawk's Pro Skater on my PS1 and spent years immersed in skate and snowboarding games, dreaming about being part of that world. I never had the chance to pursue it growing up, and after breaking my left tibia and fibula in a serious accident, fear kept me from trying for years.
Later, as a mom watching my son skate fearlessly, I finally gave it a shot. I knew I would never be a pro, but I realized I did not have to be. Gripset became my way of participating in the culture through design. Building the brand allowed me to contribute, connect, and create something real without putting pressure on my body.
-Early Logo Exploration
What I Did
I started with the decks because that’s the core of any skate brand. If the deck isn’t strong, nothing else matters. I explored multiple graphic directions, such as distorted line work, minimal icon systems, and chaotic scribble compositions. Eventually I locked everything into a visual language that felt raw but intentional.
Once the deck system was established, I built the entire world around it: naming, identity, apparel graphics, merchandise systems, packaging, web design, and campaign visuals. Every decision was rooted in culture, not trends.
Gripset wasn’t built as a mock project. It was built as if it were real.
-Merch Designs
-Website Design