Challenge

Produce a nail polish brand that stands out in an over-saturated market and that reflects my personal experience growing up in New York City.

Design Approach

Drawing inspiration from the people, colors, street art, fashion, beauty, photography, and hip-hop culture, XYZ Nail Polish blends highbrow and lowbrow influences to push boundaries. Each asset remixes classic elements of New York culture and aesthetics to embody the iconic "NY state of mind."

The name XYZ is a multi-layered entendre. It reflects my love of hip-hop, serves as a placeholder expression hinting at the city's fast-paced culture and frequent use of acronyms, and references the tristimulus system. In this system, X, Y, and Z are values used to visually match colors under standardized conditions against the three primary colors: red, green, and blue.

The packaging design pays homage to Montana spray paint cans, featuring color-coded caps that match the nail polish color inside. Additionally, my own street photography is incorporated into the branding, appearing in the landing page and subway station entryway to further root the brand in New York's vibrant street culture.