backstory
As a child, I never went to summer camp. Now, as a designer, all I’ve wanted to do is create my own. So here we are. Welcome to my thesis project, Camp Tigertail.
I felt nostalgic about camp, even though I had never been to camp. With this project, I wanted to take some of the kitschy elements of camp while still creating an authentic experience. To keep the nostalgia aspect real, I decided to connect elements that are rooted in my own childhood nostalgia. “Tigertail” comes from a street name near my elementary school. The activity packs are named after the friends I grew up with. The menu items are an array of meals and dishes I grew up eating and still love.
Welcome to Camp Tigertail, we can’t wait to have you.
The birth of a camp-loving child that never went to camp. Also the same year The Parent Trap was released. Important.
I inherited my love of creating and finding ways to blend work into play from my mom. She taught me how to create and cultivate spaces for people to experience connection through food and togetherness.
Moonrise Kingdom was released and I fell in love with “kitsch” and the campiness of camp.
I started design school in the greatest city and my whole world changed. I realized my keen eye and love of fonts and visual culture had a purpose.
I had tried my camp branding idea in another class, but my teacher wasn’t supporting my ideas and my vision. Finally in my senior year and starting my thesis class, I realized this was my time to shine and show the world how much I really do love camp.
My thesis comes to a close in the midst of the pandemic and I’ve realized how important spaces that allow people to connect really are. Today, I’m proud to present Camp Tigertail, what we all need now more than ever.
