By definition, looks are everything to fashionistas. So designing a business card for anyone working in the fashion industry is a pretty tough challenge.
Your design will have to be on-trend and effortlessly stylish, with an elegance and simplicity befitting its subject... and above all, avoid the cardinal sin of being drab and boring.
Here we present eight designs we think strike the perfect balance. If you’ve seen other fashion-related business card designs in the wild that have impressed you, please share the links in the comments below.
01. Vintage is in Boutique
Agent Illustrateur, a Canadian agency led by Christine Roy, designed these gorgeous business cards for Vintage is In Boutique, a hip seller of vintage fashions on Etsy. The lime green and pink colour combination really pops, and the quirky font and understated coat hanger emblem convey the essence of the retro brand in a forward-facing way.
02. Emily Wong
Hong Kong-based designer Jason Kwan created these gorgeous business cards for fashion designer and makeup artist Emily Wong. His use of ‘black and black’ (a textured black 360 gsm card subtly emblazoned with black foiled text) was chosen to “wrap her identity in a shroud of mystery,” says Kwan. To ensure it wasn’t too mysterious for people to read the details, he used a stencil typeface with a strong sense of clarity: Vacant by the type foundry Reserves.
03. Matilda Jane
Founded by creative artist and designer Denise DeMarchis in 2005, and aimed at baby girls, tweens and women, Matilda Jane trumpets the tagline, "an unpredictable clothing company." And this unusual business card, created in-house, is certainly that. Featuring physical hand-stitching, it was printed on brown paper from the French Paper Co with metallic pantone ink on a letterpress.
04. Mien Kielo
Mien Kielo is a NYC-based fashion designer who specialises in clean lines and effortless elegance, and this beautifully minimalist business card echoes that aesthetic perfectly. Designed by Dan West & Jackie Menth of Minneapolis digital agency Westwerk, it’s a true case of ‘less is more on-trend’.
05. Andreia Carmo
Andreia Carmo is a young Portuguese fashion designer known for her clean, neutral clothing designs. This business card created for her by Porto-based designer Lara Gil strikes the right balance between coolly muted and effortlessly chic. It was printed on Arjowiggins Italia paper using Conf Curious Metallics Ferro ink.
06. Condé Naste College of Fashion and Design
Opened in 2013, The Condé Nast College of Fashion and Design is an educational institution launched by the publisher of Vogue that aims to prepare a new generation for careers in Britain’s booming fashion industry. These impeccably sleek and stylish business cards for the college were designed by London design agency Together.
07. Sawa Takai
No, your screen hasn’t gone wrong: these really are the front and back designs for a business card. It was created for Sawa Takai, a pair of Japanese designer sisters working in New York.
The work of Japanese agency Otua Co. Ltd, it was inspired by the idea of designer labels being machine-sewed inside clothes with a single thread. This unique design, which is certainly going to stand out in anyone’s collection of business cards, won Otua Co. Ltd a Wood Pencil in D&AD’s 2016 Awards.
08. Francina Models
Founded in Barcelona in 1983, Francina Models is one of Spain's oldest agencies. Over recent years it has began to diversify, committing to the discovery of new talent and the representation of a variety of fashion profiles. This diversification is nicely reflected in these business cards, created by California studio Mucho. They combine the youthful verve of random brush strokes with classic typography to create a beautifully balanced design that’s full of information yet doesn’t feel cluttered.