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 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.
website | paid ads | social | email | sms
AKIRA HOMECOMING 2025
photoshoot | store signagephotographer: kate klipatska
stylist: kyleigh simmons
vp of e-commerce: sara kim
marketing manager: hannah ware
model: xiaya miaquinn
THE WORK
As part of a larger store initiative, the store team planned to promote a homecoming dress collection. To support this, the marketing team conducted a photoshoot to produce assets for in-store signage. I participated in the art direction of the shoot, as I was responsible for creating the final signage materials.
In one week, the campaign sold 750 units (280% increase from LY) and generated $46k sales (400% increase from LY). Stores had the collection up for 9 weeks, with the most sales during week 5 with $58k and 900 units, driving a 163% unit sales growth YOY.
AKIRA STORE MARKETING
store signagevp of e-commerce: sara kim
senior operations manager: josh clark
marketing manager: hannah ware
THE WORK
Responsible for all in-store marketing across 40 stores nationally, I led the creation and execution of signage for grand openings, omni initiatives, events, hiring, fixtures, and internal employee communications. I streamlined visual communications between HQ and store teams, improving clarity and consistency across markets. I also oversaw all print orders and vendor relationships to ensure signage was produced accurately and delivered on schedule.
art directed a photoshoot for print & commercial use, developed for Q1+Q2 2026 store signage & applied
across all retail marketing channels
photographer: shaun harris
stylist: kyleigh simmons
vp of e-commerce: sara kim
marketing manager: hannah ware
model: florence mueller
created assets for socials and emails
to promote hiring events, in-store
experiences, & sale promotions
examples of signs that I designed,
produced for print & distributed
across all store locations
multiple versions were presented
& refined before narrowing down
to the final execution
14 ft tall barricade design for store renovation in
Perimeter Mall (Atlanta, GA)
photos of signage displays shared
by store managers