LEI FOR LAHAINA

After the 2023 Lahaina wildfire, a community needed more than aid—it needed a way to come together. Lei for Lahaina was created as a fundraising event rooted in lei-making, mele, and prayer, celebrating Hawaiian resilience and protecting the future of Lahaina.

I built the visual identity and campaign around one idea: turning aloha into action.

Event Program | Art Direction | Branding | Logo Design | Graphic Design | UX/UI

01 Tone of Voice and Brand Personality

The Lei for Lahaina branding centers around the symbol of the lei– a representation of aloha, honor, and celebration, as well as a connection to the spiritual and natural world.

Just as a lei is created by many hands weaving flowers together, the rebuilding of Lahaina relies on many hands coming together in unity and care. This symbolism guided the visual identity, embodying both resilience and community healing.

In Hawaiian tradition, red and yellow were sacred colors of royalty and the gods–symbols of strength and resilience reflected in this event’s identity.

02 Logo Development

Lahaina translates to ‘merciless sun’ in English. With this logo, I wanted to reframe that intensity into a symbol of resilience and renewal. The sun represents strength and regrowth, while the woman offering a lei evokes the promise that life, even after hardship, will bloom again.

03 Imagery

Most of the images used for the event were either photos I took myself or old pictures I found in photo albums. I edited the images in Photoshop to highlight the love and strength symbolized by the red. I also applied a subtle glow effect to create a mature, nostalgic atmosphere.