The Story of Damen + Hastings
RAA leadership challenged me to create a company-owned brand from the ground up. As Creative Director, I led the complete brand development for Damen + Hastings, named after the Chicago street corner where our century-old building stands. I developed the visual identity, brand guidelines, and creative strategy that would define how the brand showed up across every touchpoint.
Working with design teams across categories, I established cohesive brand standards for belts, wallets, and bags that maintained the Damen + Hastings identity while giving teams creative flexibility. We focused on quality materials, refined details, and accessible price points. The product line needed to feel premium but approachable, supporting both our startup pop-up shops and eventual wholesale partnerships.
We launched with local Chicago pop-up shops and an ecommerce presence, treating Damen + Hastings like a true startup. This grassroots approach built authentic community connections and let us test concepts before scaling. The brand grew into national distribution at Kohl's, complete with custom retail displays and packaging. More importantly, Damen + Hastings became RAA's innovation lab where we could rapidly test new retail strategies, packaging solutions, and point-of-purchase displays without the constraints of licensed brand approvals.
"When your goal is to describe a vision for the future, information is not enough... What they need is a way to imagine life after the change. That's why it's called a vision and not a plan."
Marty Neumeier