monogram

Branding: Mobile Mardi Gras style

I'm killing two birds with one stone today. Here's a “Throw Back Thursday Wednesday” post + branding project. Thankfully, tomorrow I'll be far away from my computer and in the Tennessee mountain land—eating lots of turkey and being thankful for a much needed break! I'm so excited to re-share this branding project I designed back in-the-day (see original blog post here). I completed this design project in March of 2011...so it's pretty old school now...but still one of my all-time favorite projects.royal_2 Throwback from Tuesday, March 15, 2011

Kings and Queens and Beads, Oh My!

Yes, Mardi Gras was last Tuesday, but I wanted to share with you some design work I did for the King of Mardi Gras Juvenile Carnival Court, Benjamin Partridge Cummings Jr. I met with his mother, Laura Cummings, before Christmas and we have been working diligently ever since. Laura was an absolute joy to work with and I loved getting to know her and her family.

As you should know, Mobile is the original Mardi Gras. Believe me, as a "transplant" to this town, you can't help but notice the pride Mobilians have in that title. For weeks, the streets of downtown Mobile are filled with the sights and sounds of live marching bands, brilliant-colored floats and of course the crowds of parade goers that is Mardi Gras in Mobile. I've grown to love it, but when you experience it for the first time it is a very foreign culture and like nothing you've ever seen. There's a lot that goes into Mardi Gras, especially for the King and Court's family...whew...it's a different world around here. It really reminded me of planning a wedding!

King Ben's royal monogram was custom designed and began with pen and paper. The rakes and cowbells symbolize the history of Mobile Mardi Gras. Ben's family played a major role in the Mardi Gras history, which made it even more special. Here is excerpt from the Press Register article: "Most Mardi Gras royals have relatives who were involved in Carnival festivities in the past. But Benjamin Partridge Cummings Jr., the 2011 juvenile king for the Mobile Carnival Association, has a unique claim to fame. His fourth great-grandfather (that’s the great-great-great-great grandfather) was an antebellum Mobile hardware store owner whose rakes, cowbells and other tools helped found Mobile’s very first mystic society."

©DevinFordHadleyBinionDesigns038 ©DevinFordHadleyBinionDesigns037 This hand-assembled pocketfold Coronation invitation featured a custom-designed royal monogram for the MCA's Juvenile King. coronation-invitations royal-monogram_8321

Here's a great picture and article of the fabulous King Benjamin in the Press Register Screen shot 2013-11-26 at 4.43.54 PM I designed these neckties for the family to give out as gifts. I've never designed clothing before, let alone neckties, so this was a fun and challenging project.

Screen shot 2013-11-26 at 4.44.01 PM

And finally, one of my favorite creations was Ben's royal crest, which illustrates and symbolizes everything that he loves. crest

What an incredible memory for the entire family, and I'm truly honored to have been a part of it.