Overview
Alongside my product design work at Duolingo, I took on merch projects to explore my interest in branding and sharpen my skills through hands-on experience. I designed apparel and accessories for the BLAC ERG, Learning pillar, and Monetization pillar, giving each group something distinct while staying connected to Duolingo’s brand.
These projects gave me room to experiment with typography and composition, adapting and modifying existing character illustrations from Duolingo’s design system to fit each concept. I also learned how to take a concept into production, from selecting products to coordinating orders with vendors.
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Duolingo Blac ERG
The lead of Duolingo’s BLAC ERG asked me to create merch for Black History Month, giving me full creative freedom. I handled everything from developing the design and selecting the products to coordinating the bulk order with a vendor.
After exploring several directions, I drew inspiration from African postage stamps and their shift from featuring European rulers to celebrating African leaders and symbols of independence and cultural pride. I incorporated Bea, one of Duolingo’s characters, to connect the design to the brand. The final design was applied to a black denim jacket and a canvas tote bag.
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Front View
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Back View
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Tote Bag
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Learning Pillar Holiday Swag
When Duolingo’s Learning pillar needed end-of-year swag for nearly 200 people, I volunteered to design it and was given full creative freedom. I wanted it to still feel "Duolingo" without leaning on the usual bubbly, bright-green look. I created a simple “Learning” graphic for the sweatshirt and beanie, then designed a more festive back graphic spelling out “Language Learning Pillar.” I also repurposed an existing Duo asset from an older project, giving it a completely new life.
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Back View
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Front View
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3
Monetization Pillar Swag
After seeing the merch I designed for Duolingo’s Black ERG, the Monetization pillar reached out to me to create their yearly merch for a team of over 150 people. They had already chosen Cotopaxi bags and asked me to nod to the collaboration happening between the Monetization and Growth pillars at the time. Since every bag came in a different color combination, the design needed to work across all of them without clashing. Black and white felt like the smartest and simplest choice, while a fun, playful graphic brought the design to life.
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this made me happy!
