// Creating the world around Coral Theory.
Client: Emma, Founder of Coral Theory
Overview
Brand Foundations:
→ Brand Direction + Clarity Session
→ Creative Direction
→ Logo Suite + Brand Mark
→ Colour Palette
→ Brand Guidelines + Final Files
→ Creative Applications
Ongoing Creative Support:
→ Artwork + Production Guidance
→ Manufacturer File Preparation
The Ask
New founder, Emma, came to me with an idea for a product and the beginnings of Coral Theory.
She was completely new to building a brand and the fashion world, and while she knew what she wanted to create, there were still lots of questions around what Coral Theory itself could be.
So the project became about looking beyond that first product and exploring the bigger idea around it. What could Coral Theory grow into? What kind of world could we create around the brand? And what would give Emma enough direction to start bringing it all to life?
The Plan
We started with a clarity session and spent time pulling apart all of Emma's ideas, including the ones she wasn't quite sure how to articulate yet.
As we worked through them, Coral Theory started to become much more than a product. We built the brand around exploration, community, travel and a shared love of life in and around the water.
That bigger picture gave us something much more interesting to build the creative direction around. Inspired by life above the surface, on the surface and below it, I developed a visual world that could stretch across products, content, packaging and all the other places Coral Theory might eventually go.
From there, I created the identity, colour palette, and graphic elements, always coming back to the bigger world we had imagined for the brand rather than only what Emma needed right now.
The Outcome
Emma walked away with more than a visual identity. She had a much clearer picture of what Coral Theory could become and a set of brand foundations to start building it from.
And our work hasn't stopped with the branding.
As Emma has moved into the next stages of developing Coral Theory, I've continued supporting her with some of the less glamorous but very real parts of bringing a new brand to life — helping her navigate artwork production, preparing files for manufacturers and working through things she's never had to do before.
For a founder starting something completely new, sometimes the work isn't just about creating the brand. It's having someone alongside you who can help make sense of the ideas, see the bigger picture and work out what comes next.
“Having Alana guide me through every stage of the process was invaluable. From the very beginning, she brought a clear creative vision and an ability to weave together brand foundations and visual concepts to create something that felt both cohesive and beautiful.
What stood out most was her ability to take my crazy ideas, even the ones I struggled to articulate, and transform them into branding that feels personal, intentional, and completely aligned with my vision. It’s like she could read my mind!
I’m so grateful for what we created together and can’t wait to continue working with Alana as my brand grows.”