Parsons School of Design
BFA Communication Design
Thesis 2017

Parsons School of Design
BFA Communication Design
Thesis 2017

Gradient
Marjorie Chamberlain

One sport where there is a massive under-representation of women is the sport of skateboarding. It is a male-dominated sport and the culture surrounding it is incredibly masculine and degrading towards women. The current representation of female skaters only enhances this male dominated culture. Many women who skate feel as though they need to be more masculine to be respected by their male counterparts. Women who don’t skate are turned off by or intimidated by the hardcore overtly masculine tone.

Gradient is a lifestyle skateboarding brand for women that is neither overly masculine nor overtly feminine—that changes the way women see skateboarding, attracts them to the sport, and gives them the acknowledgment they deserve. Gradient’s bold yet refined brand evokes the invigorating, effortless, and free feeling when on a skateboard. It’s for the independent, on-the-go attitude young working women have today. By designing apparel, boarding products, and a lifestyle publication Gradient aims to create a new representation and community in the sport of skateboarding. The vibrant color palette represents how energizing and limitless skateboarding can make you feel. The graphic imagery and editorial content communicates a dedication to celebrating women and the strengths they have. The intentional slash is a motif that references the slopes and ramps associated in skateboarding as well as Gradient’s aim to cut away from the skate culture of today.

This lifestyle brand encourages more women to skateboard, whether you’re doing ollies on the weekends, or riding your board to work. Women can shred too.

Andy Agus

Ameer Akbar

Sherifa El Alfi

Orhan S Awatramani

Evan Badr

Mrinal Bhatia

Yaël Bienenstock

Olivia Brodtman

Adomas Bruzga

Holly Burt

Kiana Caesar

Elizabeth Capreol

Christian Caraballo

Alyson Cardenas

Gabriela Carnabuci

Marjorie Chamberlain

Vanna Chan

Sachi Chandiramani

Leslie Chavez

Katherine Cheng

Emily Cho

Soomin Choi

Hyeree Choi

Talia Cotton

Dorothy Cruz

Katie DeAngelis

Nicole Jane Debler

Dominique DeVito

Megan Dias

Theresa Duemler

Juan Francisco Morales Egas

Michelle Eguia

Audrey Farnsworth

Peter Fowler

Myesha Evon Gardner

Alijah Gilbert

John Hammond

Jin Ju Han

Aimee Hedman

Perla Herrera

Lauren Horsman

Zhiyan Huang

Ji Hea Jang

Urvita Jhaveri

Myles Jones

Cheryl Kao

Phoebe Kennedy

Alice Yeji Kim

Jung Yeon Kim

Thomas Sang Gul Kim

Chewon Kim

Sanggyun Kim

Hansung Kim

Likando Kumoyo

Jang Kyungjun

Josh LaCalamito

Yunjoo Lee

Kyung Sun Lee

SooJi Lee

Meijun Li

Alice Lim

Junya Lin

Yuchen Liu

Kimberly Lombardi

Natalia Malik

Roisin McNulty

Simen L. Meyer

Nikoletta Mitsopoulou

Chloë Murray

Cyrus Nathaniel

David Dahao Ni

Mariana Del Nogal

Sofia Olarra

Kamila Ortiz

Ji Hyun Park

Sara Pena

Melissa S. Peralta

Camille Petricola

Sander Phoenix

Urvi Raghbeer

Andrew Ramirez

Brianna Saba

Stephen Salomon

Julianna Amelia Santolucito

Raida Saveree Sarwar

Ritika Shah

Shui Shan

Jisoo Sim

Lauren Stein

Pei Yu Sun

Shivalika Tandon

Nia Thomas

Laura Tien

Karina Tristandy

Paula Volchok

Djiun Wang

Kyra Wang

Taylor Wasikonis

Junlu Xie

Marie Yamamoto

Jasmine Zhang