Sunset
Beach
A locally inspired graphic T-shirt designed to capture the “home away from home” identity of Sunset Beach, North Carolina. The design combines illustration and apparel design to create a retail-ready souvenir rooted in place-based storytelling.
Apparel Design
Retail Placement
Illustration
Apparel Design
Retail Placement
Illustration
Overview
Sunset Beach is defined by its relaxed coastal atmosphere and strong connection to both locals and repeat vacationers. This project explores how that sense of familiarity can be translated into wearable design.
The goal was to create a souvenir-style apparel piece that felt authentic to the island while still visually engaging for visitors. The design incorporates recognizable local elements, including the island’s ghost crab, developed through a playful, hand-drawn illustration style and a bright coastal color palette.
Approach
The project began as an independent apparel concept, developed specifically for retail placement within local resortwear shops.
I managed the full design-to-production pipeline, including preparing production-ready artwork and coordinating with a print vendor. To balance visual impact and wearability, I selected a DTF printing process to support full-color illustration detail and a Gildan Softstyle blank for its lightweight, breathable fit suited for vacation apparel.
Once finalized, I cold-pitched the design directly to retail stores in Sunset Beach, positioning it as a locally relevant souvenir product aligned with their existing customer base.
Outcome
The shirt was accepted and carried by two of the island’s most popular retail stores—The Island Market and Sunset Beach Trading Co..
An initial production run was produced and placed into retail circulation. The shirts sold well during the initial launch period, validating the design’s relevance within the local souvenir market.
This project demonstrates how illustration-led design can extend beyond concept into retail execution through targeted product positioning and direct outreach.
Sunset
Beach
A locally inspired graphic T-shirt designed to capture the “home away from home” identity of Sunset Beach, North Carolina. The design combines illustration and apparel design to create a retail-ready souvenir rooted in place-based storytelling.
Apparel Design
Retail Placement
Illustration
Overview
Sunset Beach is defined by its relaxed coastal atmosphere and strong connection to both locals and repeat vacationers. This project explores how that sense of familiarity can be translated into wearable design.
The goal was to create a souvenir-style apparel piece that felt authentic to the island while still visually engaging for visitors. The design incorporates recognizable local elements, including the island’s ghost crab, developed through a playful, hand-drawn illustration style and a bright coastal color palette.
Approach
The project began as an independent apparel concept, developed specifically for retail placement within local resortwear shops.
I managed the full design-to-production pipeline, including preparing production-ready artwork and coordinating with a print vendor. To balance visual impact and wearability, I selected a DTF printing process to support full-color illustration detail and a Gildan Softstyle blank for its lightweight, breathable fit suited for vacation apparel.
Once finalized, I cold-pitched the design directly to retail stores in Sunset Beach, positioning it as a locally relevant souvenir product aligned with their existing customer base.
Outcome
The shirt was accepted and carried by two of the island’s most popular retail stores—The Island Market and Sunset Beach Trading Co..
An initial production run was produced and placed into retail circulation. The shirts sold well during the initial launch period, validating the design’s relevance within the local souvenir market.
This project demonstrates how illustration-led design can extend beyond concept into retail execution through targeted product positioning and direct outreach.
Sunset
Beach
A locally inspired graphic T-shirt designed to capture the “home away from home” identity of Sunset Beach, North Carolina. The design combines illustration and apparel design to create a retail-ready souvenir rooted in place-based storytelling.
Apparel Design
Retail Placement
Illustration
Overview
Sunset Beach is defined by its relaxed coastal atmosphere and strong connection to both locals and repeat vacationers. This project explores how that sense of familiarity can be translated into wearable design.
The goal was to create a souvenir-style apparel piece that felt authentic to the island while still visually engaging for visitors. The design incorporates recognizable local elements, including the island’s ghost crab, developed through a playful, hand-drawn illustration style and a bright coastal color palette.
Approach
The project began as an independent apparel concept, developed specifically for retail placement within local resortwear shops.
I managed the full design-to-production pipeline, including preparing production-ready artwork and coordinating with a print vendor. To balance visual impact and wearability, I selected a DTF printing process to support full-color illustration detail and a Gildan Softstyle blank for its lightweight, breathable fit suited for vacation apparel.
Once finalized, I cold-pitched the design directly to retail stores in Sunset Beach, positioning it as a locally relevant souvenir product aligned with their existing customer base.
Outcome
The shirt was accepted and carried by two of the island’s most popular retail stores—The Island Market and Sunset Beach Trading Co..
An initial production run was produced and placed into retail circulation. The shirts sold well during the initial launch period, validating the design’s relevance within the local souvenir market.
This project demonstrates how illustration-led design can extend beyond concept into retail execution through targeted product positioning and direct outreach.