01
Intention.
Every visual choice has a reason. And we can explain it.
Decisions with a purpose.
Good design.
Built to hold.
Visual identities and design systems for action sports brands.
01 / THE STUDIOA clear intention.
A clear intention.
A coherent whole.
The design & branding studio within EXAPHASE. Rooted in action sports.
DESIGN WITH INTENT
From the logo to the components, every element follows a clear decision. Together, they form a documented system your teams can use and develop.
Identity · Art direction · Design systemsExplore our method ↗
A STARTING POINTA brand to launch.
A brand to launch.
Or room to grow.
We start with where you stand, and what you want to build next.
02 / OUR PRINCIPLESWhat guides
What guides
every decision.
Three principles that run through every identity we build.
02
System.
Logo, typography, colours and components form a whole that grows consistently.
A shared visual language.
03
Culture.
A studio born in action sports, familiar with its codes, surfaces and audiences.
A connection to the people who live it.
The one
that holds.
DESIGN WITH INTENT.
BUILT AS A SYSTEM.
BUILT AS A SYSTEM.
03 / OUR METHODFrom the first idea
From the first idea
to the last detail.
Four steps to build a clear identity, ready to live with your teams.
01
Understand
Listen before designing. Objectives, audience, positioning and constraints.
WHAT YOU TAKE AWAY
A shared brief and clear priorities.
02
Define
Establish the visual territory, art direction and brand principles.
WHAT YOU TAKE AWAY
A reasoned direction and an agreed framework.
03
Design
Design the logo, palette, typography and components. Test them in real use.
WHAT YOU TAKE AWAY
An identity and its real-world applications.
04
Document
Share the rules and tools so the system can grow with your teams.
WHAT YOU TAKE AWAY
Guidelines, files and reusable components.
One shared vision. A system built to last.Start a conversation ↗
04 / QUESTIONSCommon
Common
questions.
What the studio does, who it works for and how a project runs.
01What is The good layer?
The good layer is the branding and design studio within EXAPHASE, dedicated to action sports. The studio creates visual identities, art direction and design systems for brands across the action sports ecosystem, so they stay recognisable on every touchpoint and over time.
02Which services does the studio offer?
Four areas. Visual identity: logo and variations, palette, typefaces and brand guidelines. Art direction: visual territory and brand world. Design systems: tokens, interface components, templates and documentation. Motion identity: animated logo, motion principles and animated brand templates.
03Which brands is The good layer for?
Action sports brands: skate, surf, snow, BMX, FMX and other board and ride disciplines. Equipment and lifestyle brands, events and competitions, media, digital platforms and athletes. The studio builds the EXAPHASE group’s brands and also works on client projects.
04Which brands has the studio built?
EXAPHASE, the action sports venture group, and its identity system. [VRSVS]*, a real-time fan judging web app for competitions, with its “The Split” direction. ActionSporTech, the action sports research and industry intelligence brand. ASCENT, an incubation programme for action sports startups. Unslash, the group’s product development studio. InPulse, a SportTech and action sports media newsletter. SWRN+, a guide to action sports contests, live and on replay. FULL PART, an aggregator of action sports films published on YouTube. Uncorpo, a merchandising platform for riders. Echo(unit), the group’s brand activation and media unit. Dropzone, the group’s podcast, in preparation. Tricks.Highlights, a community-powered action sports feed. AVENTYZ, logo and visual identity, a client project delivered with Unslash and Echo(unit). The Meyer Spot, Kevin Meyer’s BMX flat media, website and brand guidelines, another client project.
05How does a project work?
In four steps. Understand: objectives, audience, positioning and constraints. Define: visual territory, art direction and brand principles. Design: logo, palette, typography and components, tested in real use. Document: guidelines, files and reusable components, handed over to your teams.
06What do you deliver?
A documented system: the logo and its variations, the palette and the role of each colour, typefaces, components and guidelines illustrated with concrete examples. Each rule carries the decision behind it, so the people applying it can create a consistent piece without starting over.
07Why a studio specialised in action sports?
An action sports brand lives on a phone screen, a live feed, an event poster or a bib. The studio knows these touchpoints, their legibility constraints and the codes riders share. Understanding the culture shapes art direction decisions, from the first sketch to the final application.
08How does the studio work with EXAPHASE, Unslash and Echo(unit)?
The good layer is a production unit of the EXAPHASE group, alongside Unslash, the product development studio, and Echo(unit), dedicated to brand activation and media distribution. When a project calls for it, identity, digital product and activation are built together, as with AVENTYZ.
09How do I start a project with the studio?
With a conversation. Message the studio through the EXAPHASE LinkedIn page with a short introduction to your brand, its stage (launch or evolution) and your timeline.