The 10th grade capstone project has typically been to design a Merit product collection. This time, in theme with the 9th grade project, it was to design a special collaborative collection for Merit and Détroit Is The New Black.
The project began by exploring the history, aesthetic, and messaging of both brands. This included Q&A sessions with David and Roslyn, as well as, a private tour the Détroit Is The New Black’s retail space in downtown Detroit. When a student asked what she thought was important for the collaboration, Roslyn shared:
“I think it’s important to see you guys in the design...the brand really is about multiple perspectives so being able to see where you guys are coming from and where you’re at creatively...will be really important.”
With their research in mind, three teams dived into the creative process by establishing a theme, creating a mood board, and developing design concepts with the support of professional graphic designers. In the end, three incredible collections emerged:
Team Designers x Drip - Embrace Your City
Team Detroit 360° - Detroit is Dangerous
Team The Original Stylists - Impact Intemporel
Despite the unexpected move to virtual workshops, our 10th grade product collections were fully realized and made available on Merit’s website for a pre-sale competition in August. Team Designers x Drip took home the winning title with their Embrace Your City collection!
