Ema Gaspar Reimagines Nike Kidswear Swoosh as Animated Ecosystem
Portuguese illustrator Ema Gaspar, based in Tokyo, was commissioned by Nike to redesign the visual identity of its Kidswear line. Using colored pencils, she transforms the corporate Swoosh logo into organic, feverish forms: a spotted texture, intertwined with smiling berry-faced figures, and a hand-drawn wordmark surrounded by vines, jewel-toned flowers, and sun-like creatures. The work avoids forced childishness, instead evoking sketchbook intimacy. Gaspar's childhood habit of pausing VHS tapes to copy Cardcaptor Sakura frame by frame informs her approach. Rather than a typical illustrator-decorator capsule, the commission treats a child's authentic, layered, and emotionally specific imagination as the aesthetic framework. Each Swoosh becomes a small ecosystem, making the project a sensible direction for a kids' line.
Key facts
- Ema Gaspar is a Portuguese illustrator living in Tokyo.
- Nike commissioned Gaspar to reimagine the visual identity of its Kidswear line.
- The illustrations are done in colored pencils.
- Gaspar transforms the Swoosh into organic, animated forms.
- The wordmark is rendered in a round, hand-drawn script.
- Gaspar's childhood practice involved pausing VHS tapes to copy Cardcaptor Sakura.
- The project treats a child's authentic imagination as the aesthetic framework.
- Each Swoosh becomes a small ecosystem.
Entities
Artists
- Ema Gaspar
Institutions
- Nike
- Nike Kidswear
Locations
- Tokyo
- Portugal