@stephanieliiu / s-liu.com
The Playbook uses graphics design to examine the dynamic
relationship between sports culture and fashion. These industries
have long influenced each other. Athletes become cultural icons,
while fashion brands leverage sports events as a platform for
both visibility and influence.
As a Division I athlete and a graphic designer, I navigate
these shifting spaces, where brand collaborations increasingly
blur the lines between fashion, culture, sports, and entertainment.
While this convergence drives both progress and innovation, it
also raises concerns about diluting the essence of sports. My
work is a response to this ongoing evolution.
Through research-driven branding systems, my thesis
focuses on reconstructing narratives, looking at the strategies,
values, and histories of both brands and individual athletes. I
critique how they borrow and redefine each other, shaping how
both sports and brands are perceived and consumed.
By questioning the role of design in this entanglement, I
challenge audiences to consider the impact of commercialization
on authenticity and identity. The Playbook explores and documents
the current cultural landscape, reflecting on what is lost, what is
gained, and what it means for the future of both sports and the
fashion industry.