Portfolio
Cutting chaos
Real Talk. United Strength. Unstoppable Energy.
A community for the hair & beauty hustlers of Far North Queensland.
Project Overview
Industry
Hair & Beauty
Location
Cairns, Far North Queensland
Deliverables
• Branding
• Squarespace Website (view here →)
The business
Cutting Chaos is community for hair and beauty professionals, providing a space for meaningful connection and foster a culture of industry support and inclusion. Through fun events, open conversations, and shared experiences, Cutting Chaos aims to empower and inspire hair and beauty professionals at every stage of their journey.
the CREATIVE DIRECTION
Edgy yet Elegant
Confident yet Collaborative
Frank yet Welcoming
Case study
The Making of Cutting Chaos
The Business
When Claire, a Cairns-based hairdresser and salon owner, first told me about her new idea, I was soooo excited. For context, Claire is my own hairdresser. I’ve seen firsthand how talented, passionate, and full of life she is, so I knew from the get-go her concept would work. But even better, she was about to become my first local Cairns logo design client. I was BEYOND thrilled 🤩
Her new idea? A community for hair and beauty professionals called Cutting Chaos. While the long-term vision is a large online community and podcast, the first step was a flagship annual gala event; a black-tie night bringing industry pros together to celebrate their craft while raising funds for charity.
Claire’s existing salon, James the Collective, has a refined, elegant brand to match its luxury, adults-only vibe. Cutting Chaos needed an entirely different energy. Claire wanted a brand that reflected her - genuine, candid, bold, inclusive, and unapologetically fun, while still carrying the confidence of someone driving change in her industry.
Claire loved elements from each concept, but one direction stood out. We worked closely to refine it, especially the colour palette. Initially, she was hesitant to commit to such a bold combo, but after testing more subdued options, it was clear that toned-down just didn’t fit. In hindsight, I’m so glad Claire trusted the creative direction and took the bold colour leap!
The final brand kit included:
Primary logo – a modern serif brimming with style, paired with an energetic, warm hand-drawn script.
Brand icon – a single line scissors illustration; a distinctive nod to the industry and an edgy design statement.
“CC” monogram emblem – a perfectly balanced mark uniting the serif and hand-drawn styles.
The Design Process
Claire chose my Brand Builder package, giving us the chance to explore three distinct directions.
With a punchy name like Cutting Chaos, I knew typography would be key. The brand needed a font combo that captured the founder’s vibrant personality while maintaining style and sophistication… after all, the audience are hairdressers, and the launch event was going to be black-tie!
I explored a wide range of typefaces (from modern serifs, to clean sans-serifs, even hand-drawn lettering) and worked to pair the styles in unexpected ways to create an eye-catching and dynamic feel.
Colour-wise, it had to pop. I leaned into energetic, modern palettes of orange, violet, lime, and even bold gradients to capture the excitement of the brand.
The Result
The finished brand feels frank and fearless, yet warm and inclusive - a strong reflection of both Claire and the community she is building.
Once the branding was finalised, we rolled out a simple one-page website (plus a dedicated event page) to launch fast and keep things simple. Claire’s social media manager then brought the brand to life beautifully on Instagram using the guidelines I created. Seeing another creative seamlessly extend the brand across socials was so satisfying… and also proof that the identity really works! 🤓
The Cutting Chaos launch gala was a sell-out success, raising funds for the Australian Alopecia Areata Foundation and uniting an incredible community of hair and beauty professionals.
For me, this project was more than a brand. It was the joy of working with a local client, watching the identity come alive in person, and helping a passionate founder create something truly meaningful for her industry.
I can’t wait to see what’s next for Claire and Cutting Chaos 🫶🏽