Understandably, clothes that are made to last years aren't going to be trend-reliant. With that said, we still want to make pieces that will bring joy when you see them hanging in your closet. That's why we pair classic and comfortable silhouettes with pops of colour and imagination.
As a proud Toronto brand, we take majority of our photos in our favourite neighbourhoods across the city. With dedicated photoshoots for each new piece or collection, we bring our imaginative designs to life against the backdrop of Toronto's vibrant streets, delivering fun visuals to excite our customers.
Last fall, we collaborated with fellow-Toronto brand Unika Swim.
Together, we designed a custom crewneck that reflected both of our brands.
Now, let's take a step back and talk about how we got here.
As a brand, Unika Swim is all about quality and simplicity. At Imaginary Friends, we were totally on board with that, but we still wanted to include our signature playful twist.
Colour wise, we kept it simple with a palette of browns and beiges.
Combining our logos, we came up with the following nine design concepts for the collaboration:
After some discussion, we decided on our primary and alternate logos:
With our designs ready, we were ready to send the mockup to our embroiderer.
As with most of our pieces, the "Friends With U" crewneck also included our classic sticker pack. This gave the IF team a chance to show off our fun side a bit more.
Being our first collab, we had a great time but definitely encountered some bumps along the way. Thankfully, this experience taught us a lot about teamwork and communication, preparing us that little bit more for our next partnership.
On June 3rd and 4th of 2023, we hosted our first ever weekend pop-up with our friends at On Third Thought. This event included the launch of our newest Sweet Tooth collection, custom gelato flavours and a tooth gem artist.
The Sweet Tooth collection brings a new meaning to "sugar high" and includes the Cavi-T, the Tooth Fairy hoodie and Arm Candy tote bag.
As both Imaginary Friends and On Third Thought are all about colour and fun, this collaboration was a match made in heaven. We pretty much had full reign over creative direction, with On Third Thought being down to create any custom gelato flavours to match our branding.
With that being said, we decided to really go for it with the colour palette:
Taking inspiration from mid-century candy wrappers, we were able to come up with the following designs for our Sweet Tooth collection:
And we can't forget the stickers!
Overall, this project was a big step for me. Not only was it our first in-person event, but it was my first time fully illustrating the collection without the help of a professional artist. That ended up being a lot more challenging than I thought it would be, but it gave me the confidence to keep diving head first into new and exciting ventures.
Last summer, we were approached by Nimble Content to create a commercial for Imaginary Friends, where I was able to work on creative direction and styling. Our brand ethos revolves around creating timeless pieces that spark joy, and this was beautifully showcased in the vibrant commercial produced by Nimble Content!
As a Toronto-based brand, we once again took to the streets of our favorite neighborhoods, using the city's energy as a dynamic backdrop. This collaboration not only emphasized our dedication to quality but also injected a distinct urban flair into our visual narrative.
Drawing from our previous collaborative experiences, I've honed valuable skills in effective teamwork and communication within the creative process. The lessons learned during our journey with Unika Swim and On Third Thought have significantly influenced our approach to future partnerships, laying the foundation for the success of our collaboration with Nimble Content.
The collaboration with Nimble Content stands as a pivotal moment for Imaginary Friends, reinforcing our commitment to delivering imaginative and enduring fashion experiences. As we continue to evolve, there's an eagerness to explore new avenues and showcase our unique fusion of classic silhouettes and playful design elements.
Check out the full spot! ↓
The future for Imaginary Friends clothing brand is filled with exciting possibilities. With a focus on scaling the business, we aim to expand our reach and bring our imaginative designs to even more people worldwide. Additionally, we are committed to exploring and implementing innovative ethical production techniques, ensuring that our clothing is not only fun and eye-catching, but also sustainable. As we grow, we are also eager to venture into designing other types of apparel, pushing the boundaries of creativity and offering our customers an even wider range of imaginative fashion choices.
