The Task

Since its beginnings as a 2000’s-era rock & roll brand, Hudson has been through a few different iterations of its original vibe. With Creative Director Ben Taverniti in the design chair for over a decade, and Maria Borromeo at the helm as President, Hudson is the only designer-led premium denim collection. Now, it’s settling into its role as a heritage brand for folks who choose to stay passionate as they move into the prime years of their lives. The challenge was to manage the natural shift from young, untamed brand to an air of established excellence by developing a philosophical stance that communicates the company’s current attitudes and values directly to its now-grown-up audience.

The Execution

To express the Hudson aesthetic as it moves into the 2020s, we asked, “What happens when a rebel grows up?” No, they don’t end up in jail. Not usually. Quite often, they apply their passion to a higher purpose and become an unbeatable badass. Mastery, we discovered, is rebellion tempered by sophistication.

To match Hudson’s uncompromising product offering, we provided a brand voice strategy that exudes self-assurance and an unwillingness to settle for anything less than excellence.

We supported the new strategy with a robust style guide that lays out rules for how to achieve the Hudson attitude in written messaging. The tone is casual, but not too familiar, with varied cadence and elevated taste. Always aspirational and never clichéd, Hudson’s lexicon stays as cool as its cuts.