Olivia Sims, Director of Design for The Fashion Network UIUC
SP23 Season Design Portfolio | First Term as Design Director
Associates in Fine Arts in Graphic & Interactive Design —> Junior Studying for a BS in Advertising at The University of Urbana-Champaign
“I am honored to be the Director of all things design for TFN this year and to be trusted with the visual identity of this beautiful community of passionate individuals and immense creativity. While I aspire to ensure TFN’s appearance reflects the level of professionalism this organization embodies, I look forward to working alongside other exec members and guiding aspiring graphic designers. I welcome all new and returning members to TFN - I’m excited to work with you all”. - Olivia Sims, Start of SP23 Season at TFN
Photo by Francesca Dumitrescu
What is The Fashion Network UIUC (TFN)?
The Fashion Network (TFN), The University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign Registered Student Organization mission statement reads as follows: ‘To connect and facilitate collaboration between individuals and groups interested in fashion at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign’ through Styling, Modeling, Photography, Videography, Marketing, Advertising, Writing, and Graphic Design outlets.
What is Olivia Sims’ Role in The Fashion Network UIUC as Director of Design? (Overview)
Primary Focus: The aesthetic visual cohesion of everything from TFN i.e. photoshoot themes/creation of mood boards, model outfits, publication design, social media grids, website layout, props and set design, etc. alongside the volume and quality of content being published by TFN. Works alongside the Creative Team to contemplate and execute all things creative for the organization’s structure. Sims balanced being TFN’s Creative Director of Design while being a full-time student at The University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign.
Brief Overview of Responsibilities/Accomplishments from SP23 Season:
-Spearhead design of the semesterly publication - The Fashion Network magazine consists of photography from semesterly photo shoots that take place across the semester, writing pieces from the TFN Writing Team, a TFN UIUC alumni interview, etc. Sims is responsible for directing designers, designing, crediting, and pulling together the entire magazine to encapsulate what the SP23 semester consisted of.
-Directed a team of four graphic designers to create the 11th Issue of TFN's fashion magazine (SP23). Created original templates, provided professional critiques, and worked one-on-one with designers to educate and guide them through design processes.
-Coordinate all graphic design for TFN
-All aesthetic & design material across all channels requires Sims’ input and managing supporting graphic designers
-Manage the visual & brand identity of TFN & social media platforms
-Ensure all media produced by TFN is cohesive, beautiful, and effective on all channels.
-Seek out and assign designers to spreads to help design the publication and fill in gaps as needed. Have the final say in the creative direction of the publication. Create graphic designer application forms, assign designers to publication spreads, and direct designers through the publication design process throughout the semester
-Lead with creative team on style, theme, and aesthetic of the Circular Fashion Expo, Semesterly Publication, and other TFN productions
-Assist in styling and directing photoshoots
-Dictate the CFE theme, the publication theme, themes for photoshoots, and most things requiring creative input within TFN.
-Collaborate with the Marketing Director to produce the bulk of the content for TFN channels
-Manage The Fashion Network UIUC Instagram presence: responsible for consistently designing and posting feed, story, and reel content.
-Design graphics and brainstorm creative content for keeping TFN’s audience engaged.
-Redesigned/revamped outdated TFN Instagram and Blog with a new identity this SP23 season
Videos of Olivia SIms during the TFN SP23 Season by August Productions & Lyla Stern
The Fashion Network Spring 2023 Issue 11 - Directed by Olivia Sims
“The Fashion Network (TFN) is proud to announce the release of Issue #11. This magazine features the work of TFN through Spring 2023. Photoshoots include: Shoot #1 “Futurism: The Future is Now,” Shoot #2 “Redefining Twiggy,” Shoot #3 “Garden of Destruction,” Shoot #4 “Body Modification” along with our semesterly alumni spotlight. The digital version is available now; printed copies of the final version will be dispersed in August 2023.”
Sims achieved the following for Issue 11 in Brief:
-Spearheaded design of the 200+ page semesterly publication as TFN's Creative Director of Design & executed a new brand identity that deviates from the original, traditional branding TFN magazines have seen in previous issues.
-Directed a team of four graphic designers (one designer per photoshoot theme) to build the 11th Issue of TFN's fashion magazine (SP23). She created original Figma templates from scratch including deadlines and schedules for each designer. Sims provided professional critiques and worked one-on-one with designers to educate and guide them through design processes. Responsible for manually crediting each and every contributor in the publication’s crediting index, which required watching behind-the-scenes footage and analyzing master docs to identify all models, makeup artists, and stylists in the magazine.
-Designer of the Alumni Spotlight Spread - An Interview with Chester Wilson III alongside designing additional spreads across each of the four photoshoot spreads and the Executive Board, President’s Letter, Crediting Index spreads, etc.
-Placed a solo male model on a TFN publication cover for the first time in TFN publication history.
TFN Issue 11 SP23 Cover, Publication Designed/Directed by Sims - Compared to Previous Issue Covers:
Issue 11 cover designed by Olivia Sims
Previous TFN magazine covers, prior to rebrand
Issue #11 Spreads Designed by Olivia Sims:
Graphic designers applied and were accepted by Olivia Sims to design for Issue #11 for the SP23 season at TFN. Sims assigned each designer to one of the four photoshoots that took place at TFN over the course of the SP23 season, and were tasked with the responsibility of designing an approximate 40-page magazine spread communicating the photoshoot that took place by using photos from the photoshoot itself, writing pieces from the TFN Writing Team that were specifically written for the shoot’s theme, and the designer’s own creativity, processes, and interpretation of the theme. Designers designed spreads outside of the Figma file, then brought their work onto the platform so critique could be given quickly and efficiently.
Sims designed a spread template for each graphic designer to submit rough drafts of their spread by strict deadlines in order to receive extensive and professional critique from Sims. Professional critique is intended to strengthen the spread’s progress and instigate/support creative curiosity from each designer. Critique and feedback are provided by Sims to further assist the designer develop their vision and bring it to life by asking in-depth and thought-provoking questions.
Visuals from Each Figma File Template to Guide Graphic Designers w/ Sims Critique Created by Olivia Sims:
Issue #11 Spreads Designed by Olivia Sims’ Designers she Directed:
The Fashion Network Rebrand/Revamp - Executed & Designed by Olivia Sims
Sims was responsible for the TFN branding identity revamp this SP23 semester, as she worked to update the old branding the organization has held onto since its start in 2018. This revamp included an alteration of the signature TFN logo and wordmark, the introduction of new brand typefaces that can be seen across the TFN Instagram, advertising deliverables/content, and branding in general alongside the development of establishing a well-rounded TFN Blog brand identity for the first time - creating the TFN Blog Logo from the new TFN logo & wordmark.
Visuals of TFN Branding Revamp (Logos & TFN In-Progress Brand Book) by Olivia Sims:
Variations of TFN logo designed by Sims for screenprinting workshops
Variations of TFN logo designed by Sims for screenprinting workshops
Hand-in-hand with the TFN branding identity revamp this SP23 semester was the TFN Instagram. The original TFN Instagram account had no sense of unity, order, schedule, or recognizable design across the entire social media presence. Sims took the Instagram revamp into her own hands this SP23 semester alongside the intention to redesign the branding identity entirely. Sims designed and nearly posted each Instagram post for the SP23 season, along with designing individual Highlight covers, and posting/designing daily Instagram story news & reminders so the community remained informed about TFN’s recent events. Sims would design story reminders of each event and recent news listed on the TFN Weekly Newsletter so that members who actively use social media do not miss out on such information. She would also design a series of Instagram story posts highlighting when a TFN Blog article is posted (with visuals and a writer overview of the article) every Tuesday and Friday of the week, supplying the link to the article from the story. The Instagram feed, which was originally disorganized, is now primarily adorned with visuals from recent TFN photoshoots - shedding light on the makeup artists, models, and photographers/videographers who obtain significant roles within the organization.
The TFN Instagram gained more of a following over the course of the Spring 2023 season.
Visuals of TFN Instagram Presence @tfnuiuc by Olivia Sims + Visuals of Previous TFN Instagram Feed Prior to Sims’ Term:
TFN Instagram feed for SP23 as a result of Olivia Sims' term as Design Director
Previous TFN Instagram profile picture/logo prior to Olivia Sims' term as Design Director
TFN Instagram feed for SP23 as a result of Olivia Sims' term as Design Director
TFN Instagram feed for SP23 as a result of Olivia Sims' term as Design Director | Executive Board Introduction Post Series
Futurism Logo as the TFN Instagram Profile Picture during SP23 as a result of Olivia Sims' term as Design Director
Redefining Twiggy Logo as the TFN Instagram Profile Picture during SP23 as a result of Olivia Sims' term as Design Director
Previous TFN Instagram feed prior to Olivia Sims' term as Design Director
Sims designed Instagram content / informative materials such as advertisement posters for TFN in Adobe InDesign and Illustrator.
Visuals/Examples of TFN Instagram Feed Designs using Previous TFN Photoshoot Content by Olivia Sims:
Sims frequently and quickly designed/managed posting Instagram story content in Adobe InDesign and Illustrator to keep the TFN community informed of information addressed in the TFN Weekly Newsletter while obtaining a unified presence by following a specific style.
Visuals/Examples of Revamped TFN Instagram Story Presence by Olivia Sims:
Sims used Adobe InDesign and Illustrator to design the TFN Instagram presence.
Visuals of Revamped TFN Instagram Presence @tfnuiuc Social Media Adobe Illustrator | InDesign Files/Templates by Olivia Sims:
The Fashion Network SP23 - Semester Photoshoots
The Fashion Network creates, organizes, and executes four photoshoots for TFN members to apply and take part in throughout the semester. The SP23 season consisted of four photoshoots; Futurism, Redefining Twiggy, Garden of Destruction, & Body Modification. These four photoshoot themes were discussed and confirmed by the TFN Creative Team (consisting of four individuals total) at the beginning of the SP23 season.
While Sims played a role in initially developing each theme with the Creative Team, as the semester unraveled itself Sims had the responsibility of designing mood boards for each photo shoot, working collaboratively with Creative Team members to discuss create execution and details for each photo shoot, design a new TFN logo to embody the new photoshoot theme at the given time period (and made this logo the Instagram profile picture at the time of the photoshoot), design & post-Instagram content communicating photoshoot information & links to important forms and documents, closely analyzed and organized photographs that derive from each shoot for graphic designers to utilize within the publication design, and assisting in directing each photoshoot.
TFN SP23 Photoshoot Theme Pitches/Moodboards - Concepts/Deliverables by Olivia Sims:
Visuals of Each SP23 Photoshoot’s Brand Identity/Logo (As Seen Across Social Media) Designed in Adobe Illustrator by Olivia Sims:
Sims was present at 3/4 of the TFN photoshoots that were held during the SP23 semester; Futurism, Redefining Twiggy, & Garden of Destruction. At these photoshoots, she assisted in directing the overall day event and captured behind-the-scenes content for social media.
Redefining Twiggy Photoshoot
Behind-The-Scenes Content
Garden of Destruction Photoshoot
Behind-The-Scenes Content
Sims designed & posted Instagram Story/Feed content specific to each photoshoot’s identity communicating photoshoot information. schedules, & links to important forms and documents.
Visuals of SP23 Photoshoot Information Posted on The TFN Instagram Story & Feed by Olivia Sims:
Visuals of SP23 Photoshoot Information Designed in Adobe Illustrator Files by Olivia Sims:
Visuals Gathered by TFN Creative Team of SP23 Overall Photoshoot/Graphic Design/Styling/Makeup - Moodboards for Each Theme Designed in Adobe InDesign by Olivia Sims:
