Exploring the intersection of social entrepreneurship and high-end retail. westwardleaning.com

Disciplines

Brand strategy
Art direction
Web design
Packaging design
Product photography
Copywriting

Featured on:

Siteinspire
Mindsparkle Mag

Summary

I joined Westward Leaning at an interesting inflection point in the company's history—transitioning from a business school project to a full-fledged fashion brand. Our early strategic work saw us look beyond the status quo (and Luxottica monopoly) into a future where socially conscious eyewear that universally fits and flatters is the standard, not the exception. What the eyewear industry considered a fantasy, we considered an inevitability. 

All Westward Leaning sunglasses are meticulously hand-crafted and include a unique rhombus inlay to celebrate and support a social cause. It seemed only right for the rhombus, and it's characteristic "lean", to become the foundation for our new identity. The brand is structural, functional and deliberately unembellished, ensuring the focus remains on the eyewear at all times. This is also true for our product photography—a style I developed to give the glasses a larger-than-life quality, where every handmade detail is sharply rendered.

Contributors

Sam Dallyn, Creative Consultant
Sasha Netchaev, Graphic Designer
Ted Emmons, Photographer

Endorsement

Tom played a key role in the evolution of Westward Leaning. His understanding of the eyewear industry and our customer—and the importance of good design and storytelling in introducing our product to both—was invaluable. He has been a great strategic partner and his design work speaks for itself.

Catherine Magee

CEO

Next project