THG’s Jared Hawkmoon on designing apparel for new Disney+ show Loki

Earlier this month, Disney+ debuted its latest Marvel TV show in the form of Loki.

The six-part series follows the Marvel villain in a time-hopping adventure and to coincide with the launch, Zavvi debuted a new line of Loki apparel spanning t-shirts, jogging bottoms and varsity jackets.

We caught up with the designer behind the range, THG’s Jared Hawkmoon, to find out more about his approach to bringing Loki into apparel.

Hi Jared, great to connect! What set you off on the path to design? And was working with brands always a focus?
Hi, thanks for having me! I would say my passion for design stems from a very early age, in a time when my one ambition was to become an artist. I absolutely loved drawing and felt great fulfilment in creating pieces for both myself and others to enjoy; seeing my ideas come to life in the process.

As soon as graphic design became a possible choice during my earlier studies, everything was set in motion from that point onwards. I obtained an immense passion and intrigue for the subject as I explored areas such as packaging design and automotive design, but the field which resonated with me most was brand design. This led me into a more refined study of graphic design at college, as well as at a degree level, both of which cemented my love of the subject, and set me on a path which has led me to where I am today.

“I tried to forge a balance between brand visibility and fashion, which meant that each piece had to effectively deliver the Loki brand to fans, while also maintaining a factor of wearability and style for everyday use.”

And prior to joining THG you were a freelance graphic designer, is that right?
Yes, I started to uncover my individual style of working once I started carrying out freelance design work as a more self-directed counterpart to my studies. For five years it allowed me to connect with a plethora of people and businesses throughout the industry.

I knew working with brands was the path I wanted to venture down when I was fortunate enough to be chosen to create a design for the Kingsman: The Golden Circle marketing campaign in 2017. This experience really allowed me to test myself in a much more elevated situation from my usual freelance commissions and provided me with an amazing experience I still greatly value today.

Brill. How would you describe your approach to design – and does that change when working on a brand?
My approach to design varies depending on the project I’m working on, but I do try to follow a structure when starting a design journey. The process begins with an analysis of the given brief, followed by market research into existing designs that reinforce my initial ideas, and provide a level of inspiration that pushes the process forward. This is sometimes more difficult when working on licensed brands, as a blanket of confidentiality and mystery can surround upcoming releases, meaning creative and improvised methods of exploration into the brand are vital.

Once I have a wider understanding of the subject, the sketching and drafting stage begins, ensuring all of my initial thoughts and ideas are in a tangible state for me to refine. Once my thoughts and ideas are analysed, I begin planning possible directions to venture in, always thinking how each can be developed and evolved into a more fleshed-out design.

Once the client is happy with the designs and feels their requirements were met, I know I’ve met the mark.

A well thought-through approach, great stuff! Before we dive into Loki, let’s look at THG. What sort of things are you up to there?
I started at THG in September 2020 as part of the Zavvi design team, where I was given a range of brands to work with ranging from MTV, to South Park, to the most recent Disney+ release of Loki. Since then, I have gravitated towards a new position in which I work with the influencer and content creator side of the industry, opening up new opportunities I’m very excited to explore. THG is such a rapidly growing company, and my time here so far has been amazing!

Zavvi’s Loki range looks fun! What was your first creative step when working on the range? How did you get to grips with that brand?
That’s very kind, thank you! Loki was such an exciting range to work on, not only being the product of the prestigious Marvel brand, but also an intriguing new chapter in the Marvel Cinematic Universe timeline. The opportunities seemed endless with what could be explored and being the designer lucky enough to deliver a licensed clothing range to the series’ many fans across the globe was truly special.

My starting point was a rather tricky one; with the series’ synopsis and characters being a mystery in the eyes of the media and fans, I had to really delve deep into the content given to me in the brief. I had to develop what I could into a suitable design direction, while trying to predict what would and wouldn’t work alongside the series once it released. Watching and meticulously analysing trailers for the series was a key strategy, picking what I could to use effectively in the range. It was a challenge, but great fun!

What were some key elements of the Loki brand that you wanted to convey in the collection? And is there an item in the range that highlights this?
When designing the clothing range, I tried to forge a balance between brand visibility and fashion, which meant that each piece had to effectively deliver the Loki brand to fans, while also maintaining a factor of wearability and style for everyday use.

Creating items that could’ve been plucked from a character in the show and worn by the audience is something I’ve always had fun working on, allowing for an extra feeling of immersion.

Another element of the brand I wanted to include was the dual colour palette of the series, one of which is the iconic green and gold of Loki himself, with the other being the orange and burgundy palette of the TVA – Time Variance Authority – giving fans a choice of which side they were on when purchasing from the range.

If I were to pick a favourite piece, I would say the black hoodie with the Loki back print was my favourite to design, as the final result is exactly how I imagined it!

Final question! How do you fuel your creativity?
I would say my main method of fuelling my creativity is ensuring I always feel inspired. Surrounding myself with design and content that resonates with my style of working really motivates me to push myself and challenges my capability when it comes to creative practices. Working alongside other creatives is also a key factor in this!

Great. Thanks again Jared for making time. Hopefully catch up again soon!