NBE GCE Portifolio: ALGERIAN NOSTALGIA

For my independent study for the fall term I wanted to finish off this collection I have been working on with the help of the Rue Maghreb creative director Meriem, by getting all the products onto the new site. The process was not easy, but after a long year of hard work, it's paid off. The new collection will be out November 20th of 2020. This is how it went!

WORKING ON THE LOGO

Now, I would say the logo process was the hardest part of Rue Maghreb rebooting process. The first logo, which included the Maghreb door, was simple enough that anyone could recognize that it belonged to Rue Maghreb. I wanted to revamp the logo because I felt that I had rushed the first one, and I wasn't as content. I started off by doing some research on brands who are doing something similar to us. I referred to simple logo designs on Pinterest, and couldn't find exactly what I was looking for. I knew the main idea I wanted to get across was the way Rue Maghreb adds a twist to the traditional elements of the Maghreb region, and I wanted that factor to be recognized with the logo design. I got opinions from many. My teacher who was working with me on my independent study last year, Meriem, and a couple of our brand ambassadors. While they did like the design, the main idea still wasn't getting across. Meriem and I ended up speaking with a couple of graphic designers, an stuck to KhadijahStudios who are located in Iraq. We had multiple meeting with them in which we were able to talk about the ideas we were trying to get across through one glance of the new logo. We wanted something catchy and professional. We wanted a new color palette that went along with the logo, while also incorporating these colors throughout our social media page. Khadijah was able to create a whole look for us, and a logo! After many meetings, this was the result!

Rue Maghreb Logo. 2020. Rue Maghreb

MAKING IT OFFICIAL!

Although Rue Maghreb had started off as an independent study project, I knew there was much more potential. I knew I didn't want to just carry this on for a couple years, and put an end to all this hard work. The community we have been able to grow in just one year is amazing! I knew the potential of this brand, and I don't just see a clothing brand anymore. As I mentioned in my previous AP, I would eventually like to turn Rue Maghreb into a foundation some day to help the Maghreb people find job opportunities, educate young girls, and create more possibilities for businesses to thrive in Maghreb countries. To head in that direction, earlier this year, we finally signed off Rue Maghreb as an LLC! The moment was so surreal, and we are currently in the process of transforming this LLC into a B-corp which would have Rue Maghreb send a certain percentage of profits to a charitable organization.

ALGERIAN NOSTALGIA

While we did launch the brand reboot on our social media page over the summer, we now reach presenting the new collection. Algerian Nostalgia is an opportunity for us as creatives to allow our customers escape to a virtual reality back to Algeria. Through this clothing line, we have mixed traditional elements of Algerian/Amazigh culture to a version that fits the context of a world that is constantly evolving. The line does not only connect Algerians to their homeland, but allows for members of the community to educate themselves as they go through the website. The site will work as an immersive experience for anyone who is visiting us for the first time! We are excited to have this line up, along with the new site, on November 20th! Make sure to check out ruemaghreb.com to see the site for yourself this Friday!