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IRONWILL

Combat Gear and Apparel




Project Overview

Project TypeBrand System/ Illustration Library

RoleLead Designer  

Date Completed
05–05–25


Challenge 

One of the hardest parts of building Iron Will was making it feel real. I didn’t want to create just another combat gear brand I wanted something that reflected the emotion, grit, and inner battles that fighters go through. Pushing myself to create the illustration library was a huge challenge too, I’ve never seen myself as a strong illustrator but this project forced me to grow in ways I didn’t expect.


Solution

My idea was to create a brand that focuses on the emotional side of fighting. The discipline and the mental grit it takes to keep showing up. I train Muay Thai myself and having experienced these moments firsthand it helped me define the brand’s authenticity. I leaned into traditional Japanese tattoo art, using powerful symbols like the dragon and tiger to represent strength, control, and inner fire. The illustrations were designed to be both beautiful and ferocious, capturing the raw intensity of combat through a style that feels intentional, not manufactured.

Key takeaways 


  • Trust the process. Large projects can feel overwhelming, but taking it one step at a time helped me stay grounded and make steady progress.

  • Stick to a workflow that works. Changing my process mid-project slowed me down more than it helpedI learned consistency is key.

  • Keep things cohesive. Making sure all my illustrations felt like they belonged to the same world was one of the biggest challenges, but it made the brand feel whole.

Process


Brand Story

Iron Will was created to bring something deeper to the world of combat sports representing something raw, emotional, and intentional. Built by a fighter, it draws from personal experience and Japanese warrior culture to celebrate the mental grit behind every strike. With bold irezumi-style illustrations and gear designed to reflect discipline and purpose, Iron Will is for those who train with heart and refuse to quit. As it grows, the brand aims to build a community of disciplined athletes who see fighting as more than a sport but as a way of life. This isn’t about hype. It’s about honor. Forged In Fury.


Brand Pillars

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FEROCIOUS Our design language is sharp, striking, and rooted in power. From dragons to kabuki masks, every visual hits with intensity and meaning.

HONOR  We don’t glorify violence. We honor the mindset behind the fight we promote respect, self-control, and the warrior spirit carried with humility.

DISCIPLINED Progress comes from consistency, not chaos. Discipline is what separates effort from excellence.

RESILIENT  Iron Will stands for mental strength built through struggle, perseverance, and getting back up every time. It’s about holding your own when all odds are againt you.

Onlyness Statement

 Iron Will combines combat sports with emotionally driven storytelling, powerful visual symbolism, and a mindset-first philosophy, creating a brand experience that’s as intense and meaningful as the fight itself.


Zag Analysis


Who are you? Iron Will is a combat sports brand built for fighters who know the battle starts long before the bell rings. We focus on the emotional weight, mental grit, and personal growth that come with training ultimately creating a brand that feels deeper and truly connected to the fighter’s journey.

What do you do?   We combine bold, culturally rooted visuals with a mindset-driven philosophy to create gear and storytelling that honors the discipline behind the fight. Iron Will isn’t about chasing trends or looking tough, it’s about building something timeless that reflects the inner strength it takes to never fold.
 
Why does it matter?   Most fight brands focus only on toughness or performance, missing the emotional reality of what fighters actually go through. Iron Will fills that gap, giving fighters a brand that speaks to their struggle, their ritual, and their reason for stepping into the ring in the first place.





Final Outcomes





  Impact

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  • Emotional Depth: Iron Will connects with fighters on a personal level, putting mindset and meaning at the core of every design, message, and moment.

  • Cultural Weight: Through bold and symbolic visuals rooted in tradition, Iron Will adds lasting value to combat culture.


  Touchpoints

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  • Intentional and Immersive: Every touchpoint from the illustration system to packaging was designed to reflect the emotional weight and discipline of the fighter’s journey. 


  Brand Development

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  • Finding depth: Building a brand that spoke to both the physical and emotional sides of fighting, without leaning too far into cliché or surface-level toughness.

  • Balancing tradition and edge: It took time to refine the visual language and tone to feel bold, modern, and respectful of the culture and symbolism it draws from.



  What I Learned
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  • First illustration library: This was my first time creating a full illustration system from scratch, and it pushed me to grow not just in style, but in storytelling and visual consistency.

  • Mockups from the ground up: Building my own mockups taught me how to better visualize the brand in context and to make my own solutions.


  Reflections
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  • Pushing personal limits: This project pushed me past what I thought I was capable of especially with illustration and showed me how growth happens when you lean into discomfort.

  • Personal Experience: Pulling from my own time training in Muay Thai gave the brand a deeper emotional core. It allowed the identity to feel more lived-in and more honest.