Collar City Auto Haus is a specialty auto shop focused on high-end performance upgrades, including turbocharger installations and custom engine work. The brand needed to appeal to serious car enthusiasts—drivers who value precision, performance, and craftsmanship—without feeling loud or overdesigned.
The goal was to create a modern, confident identity that felt technical and intentional, reflecting both the shop’s expertise and its attention to detail.
The client asked for a brand that felt:
• Clean and contemporary
• Performance-driven, not flashy
• Subtle in meaning, confident in execution
Rather than relying on obvious automotive tropes, the identity needed to communicate credibility through form, structure, and restraint.
The final mark is built around two interlocking "C" forms representing Collar and City. A third integrated element draws inspiration from the shape and mechanics of a turbocharger, a core component that reflects the technical focus of Collar City’s work. The symbol combines industrial strength with visual clarity, enabling consistent performance across signage, apparel, print, and digital applications.
A neutral silver tone was chosen as the primary color to reflect metal, machinery, and precision, while subtle red accents introduce energy without overwhelming the system.
Supporting marks and variations were developed to give the brand flexibility while maintaining consistency across touchpoints.
The final identity positioned Collar City Auto Haus as a serious, high-performance brand—one that speaks to enthusiasts through precision rather than noise. The system was designed to scale naturally across physical and digital environments while remaining recognizable, flexible, and enduring.
This project represents a more traditional branding foundation within my portfolio, complementing my recent experiential and environmental work with a strong example of logo-first, system-driven thinking.
