How I came up with the visual identity for swap-iit
By Léna, co-founder & Art Director at swap-iit
⏱️ Reading time: ≈ 4 mins
If there’s one part of the project I really had a blast with, it’s the art direction. I was given free rein. 💛 Here’s a behind-the-scenes look at the visual world of swap-iit. How, and above all why, I imagined it this way.
Contents
- The starting point: not to look like a bank
- The colour palette: pink, chick yellow, mint, cream
- The mascot
- The little details that make all the difference
- The tagline: collect. match. swap.
- Why graphic design isn’t just about looking pretty
- FAQ: swap-iit’s artistic direction
The starting point: not to look like a bank
My first decision was to reject certain ideas outright. Above ALL, I didn’t want a cold, navy-blue website that was as serious as a banking app. Nor did I want something clinical and geeky, all grey and neon. Those styles just don’t suit us blind box collectors. Our world is joyful, tactile and cute. The interface had to reflect that too.
The colour palette: pink, chick yellow, mint, cream
This inspired the colour palette: pink, chick yellow, mint and cream. Soft, warm, mouth-watering colours – almost like sweets. The idea is that as soon as you open the app, you feel the same little thrill as when you open a new blind box. A colour scheme that makes you want to stay, browse and scroll.
The mascot
A brand in our world needs a face. So I designed an endearing mascot. She embodies swap-iit: caring, a bit playful, never cold. She’s the one who welcomes you, guides you and celebrates your successful swaps. A friendly presence rather than an anonymous interface.
The little details that make all the difference
The difference often lies in the details. I’ve scattered little handcrafted touches throughout: tags written as if in a diary, tiny illustrations, and subtle animations. It’s these details that transform a functional app into a place where you want to hang out. A bit like the little secrets we love to uncover in a series of figurines.
The tagline: collect. match. swap.
This entire identity can be summed up in three words: collect. match. swap. Three verbs, three moments. The collection that grows, the connection that is made, the exchange that is completed. It is both our promise and the user’s complete journey, summarised in a single breath.
Why graphic design isn’t just about looking pretty
You might think that art direction is just about decoration. Wrong. For a marketplace, art direction plays a vital role: it builds trust (a well-curated world puts people at ease), fosters loyalty (people return to a place they love) and sets us apart (we’re unlike anyone else). In a market where everyone is competing on technology, our visual identity is one of our real strengths.
That’s swap-iit: a platform that takes security and trading seriously, but which reflects who you are and makes you smile. We’re launching in September 2026, and the waitlist is now open: the first 500 people to sign up will receive a lifetime ‘Founder’ badge and priority access. 💛
FAQ: swap-iit’s artistic direction
Who created the visual identity for swap-iit?
Léna, co-founder and artistic director of the project, has been given carte blanche by the team over the entire visual identity.
Why these colours (pink, yellow, mint, cream)?
To break away from the cold, clinical style of traditional apps and reflect the cheerful, gentle and kawaii world of blind box collectors. The aim: to recreate within the app the same joy as opening a box.
What is swap-iit’s tagline?
‘collect. match. swap.’ Three verbs that sum up the experience: collecting, matching with the right person, then swapping.