North York Women’s Shelter

Brand Design

North York Women’s Shelter needed a new brand that communicates their mantra of safety, power & sisterhood as they work to end violence for all women. Their work is wide-reaching and encompasses everything from their brand new anti-violence centre to justice campaigns demanding an end to gender-based violence globally. NYWS is constantly evolving to meet the needs of their community, and the new brand is a reflection of this evolution. Helping to capture the diversity, respect, strength and knowledge with which they approach these problems, the brand is a flexible system that adapts and changes as they do.

Using Illustration

The centrepiece of the NYWS brand is a custom illustration inspired by the idea of a "Circle of Care". The illustration style is painterly and organic - giving it a warm, comforting energy - and depicts a diverse array of women. The canvas has been loosely divided into sections that each depict a different aspect of the NYWS mission & purpose. These different pieces make the Circle of Care Illustration a versatile brand asset that functions as one whole piece on large scale applications, or split up into portions on smaller collateral.

The End Result

The new NYWS identity comes together to create a well rounded brand experience. It has the ability to communicate both optimism and urgency as they move forward with this critical work. Photography is a thoughtful part of the brand as some industry subject matter may carry sensitivities, and photographs are always carefully selected to convey the right mood and message - optimistic without taking away from the seriousness of their work. The brand can be easily applied to different touchpoints and works well at both a large and small scale. From social media, to printed collateral, to signage & wayfinding, the NYWS brand toolkit allows to organization to put their signature anywhere they need to.