Hello, welcome to the second component of this journal idea Collected.
When thinking about how to go about this, I really wanted to create a space where we could, of course, talk about AHMU MFG and the design language and processes, but also a space to showcase references I find interesting or historical design elements I may look to incorporate into a product.
For the inaugural edition of Collected, let's explore the history of Clothing Tags.
While today, clothing tags are primarily seen as a means of brand identification and size indication, historically, they served a much greater purpose. In a world not yet influenced by social media or algorithms, tags offered brands another opportunity to advertise, establish their identity, and distinguish themselves from the competition.
Take what we see in a modern brand setting with the likes of Polo Ralph Lauren and Lacoste: apart from the established market dominance, both brands have developed identities that are instantly recognisable without the need for written text, but instead through visual icons: a Horse and a Crocodile.
This isn't anything new; long before the influence of social media marketing and the idea of your brand blowing up overnight from a 12-second flat lay reel, companies built trust and identity through distinctive imagery, typography and symbols.
Clothing tags were an extension of this idea; rather than simply being used to communicate a size or brand name, they became a platform to world-build, associating people and places with the garments that they were advertised to.
Whether through an illustration, unusual typography or distinguishable colours, these small details, often only a few centimetres of fabric, became another way for brands to stand out against their competition.
From a design perspective, here at AHMU MFG, this idea of world-building through a detail that might only be seen for a few seconds when someone puts on one of our products isn't lost on us.
Take our current 'Sports Wear' Tag. This genuinely took ages to get to a point where it was worthy of being put onto a product; we studied vintage sportswear tags from the 40s all the way through to the early 2000s, pulling on typography which would have been commonly associated with a product like the Dugout Tee, as well as colours that were also commonly used within tag designs for this period. In the end, the tag was actually my favourite component of this product and has now been used for our second release, the Breton.
The continual use of this tag for our products that fall into the sportswear category isn't by mistake, but, as we have discussed, reflects the desire to continually develop a visual identity and create the ability to be distinguished amongst a sea of brands within the current landscape.
For myself, it's these smaller details which I think deserve as much consideration as the products themselves, for AHMU MFG its another opportunity to build on the brands identity we are trying to create, really emphasising our motto 'Past Created Future Worn' and I hope those who might understand some of the design language appreciate these considered additions.
Max
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