Russell Athletic
retail campaigns across a heritage relaunch
I led brand identity and retail rollout across Russell Athletic's heritage relaunch — spanning the Eagle R collection launch, the Original Sweat brand-story campaign, and a retail partnership with Rebel Sport under the line "For This Athletic Life." Russell sells through a wholesale model, across dozens of independent and department-store retail partners, with no central retail team to execute on its behalf — so in every case the brief was the same: build an identity strong enough to survive retail execution without being told how, then roll it out across every touchpoint a retailer would actually encounter.
"Wholesale brands don't control the last ten feet to the customer. The identity has to be strong enough that retail partners execute it correctly without being told how."
Russell Athletic sells through a wholesale model with no central retail team — the brand identity needed to survive execution across dozens of independent and department-store retail partners without direct oversight.
Relaunch Russell Athletic's heritage positioning at retail through the Eagle R collection, build brand engagement through the Original Sweat story, and increase visibility and sell-through through a Rebel Sport retail partnership.
Developed a brand identity and colour system robust enough for wholesale, then rolled it out across lookbooks, wholesale sell-in materials, shop-floor POS and gondola signage, retail window display concepts, and retailer-specific campaign creative for Rebel Sport.
Delivered across independent retailers, department stores and Rebel Sport — from buyer sell-in materials and media kits through to in-store POS, rack and table displays, and retail window backdrops.
Eagle R put Russell's heritage in front of a contemporary audience under the line "The Legends Return." I led the brand identity and art direction, then rolled it out across logo lockup, lookbooks, wholesale sell-in materials, and shop-floor POS and gondola signage.
Rather than one hero colourway, Eagle R runs on four signature tones — Storm, Cactus, Sulphur and Orchid — each strong enough to anchor its own campaign moment.
In-store poster backdrops, built to sit behind product displays.
Shop-floor POS gave retail partners a ready-to-use way to put the range in front of customers — folded-merchandise tables and rack displays to keep the floor organised.
In-store POS — folded-merchandise table and rack display.
Because Russell Athletic sells through wholesale, sell-in materials mattered as much as in-store ones — a media kit and product flat-lays gave buyers and retail partners finished, production-ready artwork ahead of launch.
Wholesale media kit and product flat-lay photography.
Original Sweat is Russell's heritage brand story — the case for why the company that invented the sweatshirt in Alexander City, Alabama in 1902 still belongs in a customer's wardrobe today. I developed retail storytelling assets — a roller-rink-and-diner photoshoot built around a cast of named characters — designed to communicate that heritage and increase shopper engagement in-store, carrying the "Since 1902" provenance message through to shelf.
Retail storytelling assets designed to communicate Russell Athletic's heritage and increase shopper engagement in-store.
For This Athletic Life paired Russell Athletic with retail partner Rebel Sport — in-store poster creative built around real athletes, with matching magazine placements carrying the same line into editorial.
Poster creative and magazine placements for the Rebel Sport partnership campaign.
Beyond Eagle R, the relationship with Russell Athletic spanned other ranges and product lines — Tech Sweat performance fleece, and retail packaging for footwear and accessories. (The contemporary streetwear capsule campaign features in the banner at the top of this page.)
Tech Sweat campaign, and retail packaging for sneakers and Head Candy headphone-headbands.
Russell Athletic swing tag — front, inside cover, inside and back artwork carrying the brand's 1902 heritage story.
Headphone Hoodie product POS — built-in headphones, ready to play.
Across Eagle R, Original Sweat, the Rebel Sport partnership and Russell's wider apparel and accessory ranges, I held a consistent brand identity across a wholesale network Russell Athletic doesn't directly control — from buyer sell-in through to the gondola banner a customer actually walked past in-store.