Overview
During the Take Care era, OVO and the Toronto Blue Jays became connected through a shared cultural moment in the city. Drake filmed part of the “Headlines” video inside Rogers Centre, creating an authentic link between music, sport, and Toronto’s emerging creative identity.
As the Blue Jays entered a new chapter through a rebrand, there was an opportunity to connect that identity to the culture forming around the OVO camp in a way that felt natural, not forced. I was brought in for my understanding of fitted hats and how product moves within culture, helping translate that moment into something tangible.
Working closely with New Era, we created a fresh take on the classic 59FIFTY. The project became OVO’s first collaboration in sport, the hero product for OVO Fest 2013, and a foundation for how the brand would approach team partnerships moving forward. It was also the first design project I led, setting the tone for my work at the intersection of culture, product, and sport.
Role & Scope
I led the product and design direction, defining the cultural intent and translating a moment rooted in the city into a tangible product.
- Guided early decisions around silhouette, materials, and detailing to ensure authenticity within fitted hat culture
- Reinterpreted the classic New Era 59FIFTY through an OVO lens, balancing heritage, quality, and cultural relevance
- Collaborated with Fanbrandz and the Toronto Blue Jays on logo and artwork development within official MLB identity systems
- Partnered closely with New Era across materials, embroidery specifications, sampling, production, and release planning
Product Details
Produced at New Era’s original Derby, NY factory, the cap was designed to carry the look and attitude of a vintage on-field fitted while incorporating modern performance updates for structure, comfort, and durability. Old school where it matters, updated where it counts.
NE TECH™ performance fabric with COOLERA™ moisture-wicking and SOLARERA™ UPF 50+ sun protection for comfort and shape retention.
Chromaflex Patch
Flat Batterman logo embroidery
Grey undervisor. White moisture-absorbing sweatband. Branded taping.
Custom Box
NE TECH™ performance fabric with COOLERA™ moisture-wicking and SOLARERA™ UPF 50+ sun protection for comfort and shape retention.
Chromaflex Patch
Flat Batterman logo embroidery
Green undervisor. White moisture-absorbing sweatband. Branded taping.
Initially released at OVO Fest, the cap was later offered through OVO and New Era locations and in stadium during a Blue Jays homestand. The response helped set a blueprint for future collaborations, centered on the city and the communities that shape its culture.
Process
A look at how the patch concept and final details came together.
Original direction felt too literal and crowded. Needed clarity and meaning.
Looked to the Toronto coat of arms for a sense of heritage and structure. A calmer way to represent the city with intention.
Sketched a cleaner hierarchy. Let the owl speak first and let the city sit in the background with confidence.
Border draws from the Intertwining Collar to symbolize unity, with a pop of color for energy.
Refined the shape and border for clarity, and added light beams from the Rogers Centre to echo the energy of an OVO night in Toronto.
Explored variations in color, type weight, and spacing to land on a version that felt sharp and balanced.
Final system in place. Toronto blues for home, OVO black and gold for the road. Built with Fanbrandz.
Final patches executed in Chromaflex, which was emerging in sportswear production at the time.
Early packaging sketches exploring how the brand and team identity could live on the box.
Focused on creating a ballpark moment the second the box opens.
Final packaging system. Custom OVO x Blue Jays box with interior field print and co-branded marks throughout.
Home Turf.
The project demonstrated how cultural moments, when handled with restraint and respect, can translate into lasting product.