Origin Salon Brand Identity
Project Scope
Client: Origin Salon
Industry: Beauty & Hair Salon
Services: Brand Identity, Logo Design
Time Frame: 4 Weeks
Table of Contents
1. Project Overview
2. Research & Discovery
3. Logo Design
4. Identity System
5. Brand in Use
Project Overview
The Concept
Origin Salon was born from my wife's longtime dream of opening her own salon. When that dream became reality, she partnered with me to create a brand identity that reflected her vision and values.
At its core, the brand celebrates authenticity—enhancing natural beauty rather than changing it. This philosophy became the foundation of the identity and inspired the slogan: "Inspired by you, styled by us."
The Challenge
Origin Salon needed an identity that balanced premium professionalism with a warm, approachable personality. The brand also needed to stand apart from generic beauty-industry aesthetics while remaining inclusive to a diverse range of stylists and clients.
Owner: Kelly
“Beautiful hair is making healthy hair choices and being good to yourself.”
Kelly Hightower is a cosmetologist and curl specialist who not only wants you to feel beautiful but to feel empowered by your natural self. Kelly’s superpower is finding what makes your hair unique, bringing it to life, and educating you on how to maintain a healthy hair lifestyle.
Research & Discovery
Through conversations with Kelly and research into other salons, four core attributes emerged:
Premium, Modern, Calming, and Timeless. The concept of Origin became the foundation of the brand, celebrating each client's unique story and natural beauty rather than chasing trends.
Moodboard
Logo and Wordmark Sketches
Early logo explorations focused on the idea of an origin story—the beginning of something beautiful. We wanted the final wordmark to balance timeless elegance with a boutique, premium feel. Subtle negative space creates an airy, evolving quality, while strong serif forms provide structure, confidence, and sophistication.
Logo & Word Mark Drafts
Logo Design
The four stars centered within the “O” of Origin Salon symbolize the concept of beginnings — the origin itself. Together, the stars form a negative space flower, representing the blossoming of a beautiful origin story.
On a personal level, the stars hold deep meaning for the owner, Kelly Hightower. Each one represents a member of her immediate family: her husband, her son, her daughter, and herself. This is her origin story.
Logo Breakdown
Garden Oasis Focus
Relaxation, botanical, your “roots.”
Too botanical-focused
Gives a garden brand or yard service.
felt too masculine.
Early Logo concepts
Chosen Direction
Clean Modern Centered
Focused on the client and their inner beauty.
More inclusive appeal.
The stars in the center make a hidden flower, a nod to your inner beauty or origin.
Genesis
Showing the actual center.
Feels too straight to the point.
Felt like a big tech or a cleaning brand logo.
Too spikey.
The Seed
Mix of botanical, relaxing spa-like feel.
Story of the “origin”.
Too complex, hard to read from afar.
Looks like an eye.
Too sharp.
The primary logo is a wordmark crafted from a custom typeface. The design goal was to evoke a modern, clean, and strong aesthetic, while also capturing a sense of elegance and ethereal beauty.
The structured serifs lend each letter a bold, grounded presence, while the subtle gaps within the letterforms introduce a soft, airy, almost spectral quality — creating a balanced blend of strength and delicacy.
Identity System
Mission Statement
At Origin Salon, our mission is to provide a relaxing, healthy, and high-quality hair care experience that honors each person's unique story.
We believe that true self-expression is personal and comes from within. Our goal is to help every client feel refreshed, confident, and authentically themselves. Through thoughtful, individualized styling—not trends or gimmicks—we aim to highlight what makes you unique so your Origin story can shine.
Pattern Design
Origin Salon was born from my wife's longtime dream of opening her own salon. When that dream became reality, she partnered with me to create a brand identity that reflected her vision and values.
At its core, the brand celebrates authenticity—enhancing natural beauty rather than changing it. This philosophy became the foundation of the identity and inspired the slogan: "Inspired by you, styled by us."
Proper Pattern Usage
The areas highlighted in red show incorrect usage of the floral pattern. In these examples, the pattern exceeds the allowed 1/4 of the total surface area and is against the suggested design guidelines.
Crest Designs
Typeface
Color Layout
Origin Salon celebrates natural beauty and self-expression, which inspired a palette of earthy neutrals accented by subtle botanical tones. The colors were carefully chosen to feel both refined and welcoming, creating an identity that is inclusive, balanced, and appealing to a diverse range of clients and stylists.
Brand in Use
TESTIMONIAL
“Clayton was so easy to work with; he really made my brand come to life. I’ve shown co-workers my new branding, and they say it fits me so well, and I couldn’t have done it without Clayton’s vision.
Kelly Hightower - Cosmetologist