Native Hands Wine

Developing Native Hands was an opportunity to build more than a wine brand, I was creating a visual identity that needed to carry a story, honor a cultural legacy, and connect the history of California winemaking to a contemporary audience. The work was ultimately recognized with Best Classic Series in Wine Business Monthly’s 2024 Pack Design Awards, an honor that was especially rewarding because of the amount of research, illustration, and storytelling that went into the project.

The project began with the development of the brand itself: creating a name and identity that could authentically represent the story of the Juaneño Mission Indians and their connection to California’s early winemaking history. I developed the logo and visual language with the goal of creating something that felt timeless, handcrafted, and deeply connected to place.

I developed an illustrated label series in which every element was intentionally considered, from symbolic imagery and natural textures to the composition, typography, and overall visual hierarchy. Rather than simply decorating a bottle, I wanted each label to function as a piece of storytelling. The illustrations were designed to feel handcrafted and connected to the land, while still creating a sophisticated wine identity that could stand on a contemporary shelf.

The result was a brand system that brought together identity, illustration, packaging, and storytelling into one cohesive experience. The labels became an extension of the larger brand story, using visual details to introduce consumers to a history that many may not have known.

This project was particularly meaningful to me because I grew up near the Mission in San Juan Capistrano. The history behind Native Hands was not just something I was researching for a design project, it was connected to a place I knew personally. Being able to use my illustration and design skills to interpret that history and create something meaningful from it felt like a full-circle experience.

For me, Native Hands represents what I love most about design: taking a meaningful story, finding its visual language, and turning it into a brand that people can experience.