senior graphic designer at akira + creative lead at vallure
AKIRA
INFO
ART
PRO BONO
senior graphic designer at akira + creative lead at vallure
INFO
ART
PRO BONO
let’s work together.
vgao.vivian@gmail.com
AKIRA FW25 GLAMOUR INSTINCT
campaign | website & app | socialphotographer: shaun harris
stylist: kyleigh simmons
vp of e-commerce: sara kim
marketing manager: hannah ware
model: gabriela varela
THE WORK
Developed the visual concept for the Fall/Winter 2025 campaign, pairing modern fur, animal print and leather silhouettes with a dark, moody palette. Velvet drapes were used as a textural backdrop to create a cinematic, elevated aesthetic.
Campaign generated strong results, selling 2.7k units with an average sell-through rate of 23.2% at a $69 average retail price. Over its two-week run, it delivered $226K in revenue, positioning it as the top-performing campaign of the year.
AKIRA BLACK FRIDAY 2025
omni-channel promotionphotographer: shaun harris
stylist: kyleigh simmons
co-founder & co-owner: sarah hughes
vp of e-commerce: sara kim
marketing manager: hannah ware
THE WORK
Led the design and visual direction for the full Black Friday & Cyber Monday campaign, with preparations beginning in August for the brand’s most important season of the year. Owned all campaign collateral end-to-end from developing the visual direction and producing multiple rounds of concepts to delivering final assets. Once the logo and color palette were finalized, I designed in-store signage for the main promotion, Hot Holiday Deals, along with subsequent campaigns—December Deals and Red Hot Deal—ensuring each rollout tied back cohesively to the overarching brand system created for the season.
Ahead of Black Friday, we also executed three weekly product drops. I supported art direction for these photoshoots and designed corresponding store signage to align with each release. For Black Friday itself, I designed graphics for both in-store and digital touchpoints, including a VIP early-access shopping event.
To balance the visual intensity of Hot Holiday Deals, Black Friday signage was intentionally kept simple and high-contrast, utilizing a black-and-white palette for clarity and legibility. Fur textures were incorporated to convey elegance and sophistication, while highlighting the brand’s best-selling products. After design finalization, I coordinated print production to ensure accurate, on-time delivery to stores nationwide.
THE RESULTS
Hot Holiday Deals generated $798K in sales within a five week period, achieving a 61.7% sell-through rate in stores and a 80.6% sell-through rate online. Omni-channel sales increased by 89% YOY when compared to a like-for-like time period, with web sales up 183% and in-store sales up 58%.
On Black Friday alone, the web team drove $1.2M in sales, marking a 99.7% YOY increase. Across the full Black Friday and Cyber Monday weekend, total sales reached $3.9M, representing a 93.9% increase YOY. By the end of the promotional period, the company achieved $8.2M in total sales—the highest and most successful sales performance in its history.
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