Lucky

California Heritage: Loyalty Acquisition & Lifestyle Identity

OVERVIEW:

Lucky Brand is an iconic American denim and apparel company founded in 1990 in Los Angeles. Rooted in a spirit of reinvention, the brand is celebrated for its vintage-inspired aesthetic, drawing deep influence from Southern California’s motorcycle, surf, and bohemian cultures. With its "Perfectly Imperfect" philosophy and Americana-heritage details, Lucky Brand has grown from a premium denim specialist into a full-scale lifestyle brand with over 150 retail locations across the United States.

ROLES:

Creative Direction
Graphic & Visual Design
Illustration
Print Design
Apparel Design
Package Design
Environmental Design

INSIGHT:

In 2015, Alliance Data identified Lucky Brand as a high-priority target to anchor its "Boho-Chic" retail portfolio. The insight was to move beyond a standard financial pitch and instead lean into the brand’s rugged, "Free-Thinker" DNA. To convince Lucky Brand that a credit program wouldn't dilute their "cool" factor, the presentation needed to feel like a natural extension of their workshop—tactile, hand-crafted, and deeply connected to the West Coast lifestyle.

OBJECTIVE:

The objective was to art direct and design an immersive, multi-sensory presentation that spoke directly to Lucky Brand’s creative leadership. My role involved creating a cohesive suite of assets including print collateral, bespoke packaging, and environmental design concepts.

Leveraging my background as an illustrator, I also developed a series of proprietary t-shirt designs and lifestyle content that lived within the pitch. This "lifestyle-first" approach aimed to show that Alliance Data could transform the brand experience into a loyalty engine without losing its signature vintage edge.

CREATIVE SPOTLIGHT: ILLUSTRATIVE STRATEGY

To truly resonate with the Lucky Brand stakeholders, the presentation needed to feel handmade. I created a series of proprietary t-shirt illustrations that moved away from corporate clean-lines in favor of a rugged, vintage-wash aesthetic.

These designs were not merely placeholders; they served as a 'proof of concept' for how the loyalty program could live organically on apparel and a range of merchandise. By integrating custom illustration with brand-centric typography, I demonstrated that Alliance Data’s partnership would enhance—rather than overshadow—the artistic DNA of the Lucky Brand lifestyle.

RESULTS:

The acquisition pitch was a definitive success. Lucky Brand officially partnered with Alliance Data to launch the Lucky Brand Rewards credit program, which integrated seamless financing with an exclusive, data-driven loyalty experience.

The creative materials I developed served as the foundational visual language for the program’s launch, successfully bridging the gap between high-finance retail services and the grit of California denim culture. This partnership remained a key asset in Alliance Data’s retail portfolio for over five years.

Work Dashboard: