By Elizabeth Hilsmann
Project Overview
This is the work I completed over three weeks for Glory Jean, a clothing reselling business specializing in cute, fashionable, pre-loved pieces.
Glory Jean was founded a few years ago by Linda Baugh, who named it as a tribute to her service as a combat nurse during Desert Storm and to her mother—combining “Glory” and “Jean.” Linda is not only an inspiring veteran but also a talented seamstress who revives garments by incorporating patchwork elements from other pieces, blending vintage charm with current trends.
This project served as my senior capstone at Brigham Young University–Idaho, where I worked closely with a dedicated faculty mentor. Early discussions with him encouraged me to push my creative boundaries and apply the skills I’ve developed throughout my degree. Following his advice, I structured the project into three main components:
- Photographing inventory pieces
- Designing and vectorizing a brand logo
- Animating the logo
Photography
The first week focused on capturing professional images of 16 standout items from Glory Jean’s inventory. Using campus resources, I reserved a studio and hired two models to showcase the clothing. Drawing on my photography coursework, I created clean, well-lit, website-ready photos with a white seamless background. This approach keeps the focus on the garments and allows Linda the flexibility to isolate the models for future marketing needs if desired.
Concept Development and Vectorization
This phase proved the most challenging, as I generated numerous logo concepts but struggled to narrow them down. With guidance from my mentor and feedback from Linda, I explored various ideas, selected her favorite, and moved to vectorization in Adobe Illustrator.
I created multiple iterations before finalizing the design: simple, classic “GJ” lettering paired with a sewing needle and thread. The thread and needle symbolize Linda’s skilled alterations and the new life she breathes into each piece. To honor her military service, I incorporated subtle American flag elements into the thread and needle—representing her bravery and sacrifice during Desert Storm. Today, she continues to serve by helping young women discover and express their personal style.
The Sketches
The Iterations
The Finalized Logo!
It is important to remember to have clean, identifiable layers in case anyone else needs to use your file in the future, and it makes your life easier, too!
Animation
With the vector logo complete, I imported it into Adobe After Effects for animation. Though I hadn’t used the program in some time, relearning it was rewarding and deepened my technical skills.
The final animation features the different elements crashing into each other and settling into place with stars twinkling on the flag, and the needle gently bobbing up and down—evoking the motion of Linda’s sewing machine and her hands-on craftsmanship.
The Final Animation
Conclusion
Over these three weeks, I challenged myself in creativity, time management, client collaboration, and decision-making. This experience reinforced the value of the creative process, taught me to be more decisive, and gave me greater confidence in contributing to my chosen field.
Thank you for reading. I hope this provides a clear glimpse into the project’s development and outcomes. I’m grateful to Linda for the opportunity and to my mentor for the guidance.
Until next time,
Elizabeth Hilsmann