the brief

project overview

Hot Girls Don't Colonize is a cultural platform and community resource live at hotgirlsdontcolonize.com. The platform currently operates as a link aggregator directing consumers to small businesses in the bookish community. 
It is being built into a full platform launching fall / winter 2026, starting with merch.

what’s coming

Merch is the first thing going out into the world under this brand. Logo, color, typography, motifs, and the first product designs need to exist before anything else does. 
Alongside merch, the site needs a placeholder build: the core structure and lotería card system in place (see visual references, page 2), without the full directory populated yet. That placeholder gives the platform a home to point people to while the directory, blog, newsletter, and everything else get built at their own pace. Events, a podcast, and conference presence are planned for later phases.

objectives

I want the visual identity to do three things simultaneously:
  1. Feel immediately familiar to the Black, brown, diasporic, queer, and indigenous communities this platform is built for. 
  2. Feel completely distinct from anything in mainstream wellness, lifestyle, or DEI space. If it could belong in Marin, start over! Marin is beautiful though! 
  3. Hold both the political and the joyful at the same time. Ceremonial and dangerous, lush and urgent, devotional and alive. Neither one without the other.

deliverables

    • primary logo

    • secondary logo variations

    • submark / icon mark

    • wordmark

    • logo suite in all formats

    • logo usage guidelines

    • primary and secondary color palette with hex, RGB, CMYK codes

    • typography system — primary, secondary, accent typefaces

    • type hierarchy — how headings, body, and captions relatefont pairing guidelines

    • motifs & graphic elements

    • pattern system

    • illustration style guide

    • photography direction — thoughts on what should photos feel like?

    • videography direction — thoughts on what should videos feel like?

    • full brand bible — how everything works together

    • do’s and dont’s

    • social media templates — feed posts, stories, highlights covers

    • social media style guide

    • template library for faceless evergreen content

  • full site design or site design guidance

visual style

Here's a probably-way-too-long visual reference board I created. Definitely into jewel tones!

HGDC Visual References

interested? let's chat!

email me at hotgirlsdontcolonize@gmail.com

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