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Winnie Chang

MFA in Graphic Design - 3 Yr Path — Graduate Graphic Design
Course:
Grad Studio 4
Faculty:
Gerardo Herrera
Term:
2025 Spring

Fernie

Fernie is a sustainable babywear brand created to rethink how parents shop for their growing children. I approached this project as an opportunity to design a system that balances emotional warmth with practical sustainability, turning an everyday routine into an act of care and renewal. I introduced a circular subscription model and recycle program that extend the life of every garment. Through calm typography, gentle color, and tactile materials, the brand expresses softness and trust while inspiring parents to nurture both their child and the planet.

Process:

Fernie was developed through a design thinking approach that reconsiders how baby clothing can better respond to real-life behaviors and environmental impact. The process began by observing how quickly babies outgrow clothing and how this cycle creates both emotional and material waste. Instead of designing individual products, I shifted the focus to designing a system—one that supports continuous use, return, and renewal. Through iteration, the project evolved into a subscription-based and circular model that balances usability, sustainability, and emotional connection. Visual identity, material choices, and digital experience were designed together to create a cohesive and scalable solution. By integrating design, technology, and service thinking, Fernie explores how everyday objects can become part of a more thoughtful and adaptive lifestyle, addressing both social needs and environmental change.

Learning Outcomes:

Through this project, I learned how to move beyond designing individual products and instead develop a holistic system that responds to real user behaviors and needs. I gained experience in applying design thinking to identify problems, test ideas, and refine solutions that balance creativity with practicality. This process also strengthened my ability to integrate branding, product design, and digital experience into one cohesive strategy, while considering sustainability, scalability, and real-world application.

Project Website:
https://www.winniechangdesign.com/fernie
Tags:
Branding,
Identity Design,
Packaging,
Spatial Design,
Web Design
Designed in Rhino 8 and rendered with V-Ray, this tactile trade show booth invites new parents into a warm, sensory-first environment. The spatial design draws inspiration from the Fernie logo’s circular form and layered softness, creating a space where visitors not only shop but feel part of the brand’s world.
The Fernie logo is inspired by the recycle symbol, but I softened it to look like arms wrapping around a baby. It represents both care and sustainability. For the typeface, I chose one that feels a little uneven, almost like a baby taking its first steps — cute, soft, and a bit wobbly.
The packaging is fully recyclable and uses soy-based inks. It’s playful and soft, featuring my hand-drawn illustrations to bring a personal, warm touch to every delivery and create a thoughtful unboxing experience.
Packaging photo: Amanda Mei
This clothing collection features soft, adaptable patterns designed to grow with each child. The illustrations draw from gentle plant motifs and fluttering butterflies, paired with friendly characters like a rabbit, bear, and capybara that bring comfort and charm. Each solid color is chosen for its calming, nature-inspired palette, creating pieces that feel playful, soothing, and true to Fernie’s nurturing spirit.
Simple, nature-inspired line drawings and gentle animal characters bring warmth and playfulness to the Fernie brand.