Creating the annual report for Patagonia involved the challenge of translating their core brand values—sustainability, adventure, and storytelling, into a cohesive and purposeful design. Balancing compelling visuals with functional clarity required careful attention to typography and intentional image placement. A key focus was integrating Patagonia’s environmental mission in a way that felt sincere and non-commercial, which meant refining the booklet layout to feel natural, grounded, and driven by purpose.
A New Look: Patagonia Annual Report
Time
8 weeks
Deliverables
Booklet
Cover Design Rationale – Patagonia 2024 Annual Report
Inspired by travel magazine covers – clean layout, bold imagery, and aspirational tone.
Hero image of a climber and mountain landscape – symbolizes adventure, exploration, and Patagonia’s roots in nature.
“The Work Behind the Mission” subtitle – highlights transparency and purpose-driven business.
Gold “2024 Edition” tag – adds a sense of distinction and significance.
Design Concept – Contents & Shareholder Letter Spread
Balanced structure: This spread pairs essential corporate content (the letter and contents) with a human-centered visual approach to keep it warm and engaging.
Vertical contents layout: Breaking from the traditional top-to-bottom list, the vertical orientation on the left creates a modern, editorial feel—echoing magazine design influences while maximizing visual flow.
Photography choice: The image of a smiling man in Patagonia gear near the coast brings approachability and real-world context to the report, highlighting the brand's human and environmental focus.
Color coding: Blue and gold used in the contents sidebar provide strong brand consistency and visual navigation cues throughout the report.
Overall intention: To make formal content feel personal and purpose-driven, reflecting Patagonia's identity as a mission-led company rather than a conventional corporation.
Design Concept – Who We Are Spread
Balanced structure: Housing the text on the left creates a clean balance. It allows the story to be told without competing with the image while still being part of the larger composition.
Color coding: Blue and gold used in the different information sections provide strong brand consistency and visual navigation cues throughout the report.
Defining the Concept
I wanted the report to feel less corporate and more like an experience. Inspired by travel magazine covers and outdoor storytelling, I approached the layout as a narrative journey through Patagonia’s impact, culture, and values—rather than just data presentation.
Content Structure & Visual Hiearchy
I mapped out the content into clear sections: “Who We Are,” “Environmental Impact,” “Product Responsibility,” and “Looking Forward.” I used full-bleed photography, pull quotes, and minimal text blocks to ensure readability while keeping a strong visual rhythm throughout.
Final Refinement
The final report reflects Patagonia’s identity as a mission-driven brand that uses business to inspire change. Every design decision—from quote placement to photo choice—was made to reinforce this message while remaining visually compelling and accessible.
After initially completing the report for class, I took time to revisit and rework key elements with a critical eye, driven by my desire to continuously refine and improve my work.
New Color Palette
– Shifted from richer earth tones to brighter accents
– Improved contrast for better legibility and visual impact
Modular Identity System
– Introduced blocks of color as “guides” to lead the eye
– Created consistency across spreads while maintaining layout flexibilityRefined Typography
– Lora for body copy and secondary headers—warm, editorial, approachable
– Libre Franklin for headers—clean, modern, versatileContinuous Improvement Mindset
– Emphasized evolution through reflection
– Reinforced that design is an iterative process, not a one‑and‑done task
Original Version
– The initial version of the report is featured on the site to show the project's evolution and highlight the progression of my design process.
