Sands Mirage Desert Retreat – Brand Illustrations (2024)
Sands Mirage was conceived as a luxury boutique hotel rooted in the cinematic stillness of the Arizona desert. The goal was to build a visual identity that felt transportive—where guests don’t just stay, but step into a mood.
The challenge was to create merchandise and printed collateral that could capture the atmosphere of the desert while signaling elevated hospitality, appealing to a range of travelers seeking both adventure and refinement.
PROJECT RECAP
Rather than relying on traditional hospitality branding alone, I built a graphic illustration system that embeds the logo directly into immersive desert scenes—transforming identity into experience.
Illustrated Postcard Series: Designed custom desert compositions featuring sun gradients, horizon lines, and architectural silhouettes, with the Sands Mirage logo integrated seamlessly into the environment.
Merchandise Design: Created a signature t-shirt that translates the hotel’s atmosphere into wearable art—extending the brand beyond the property.
Visual System Development: Established a cohesive color palette inspired by desert dusk, warm sand, and mirage-like light distortion to create consistency across print and apparel.
ROLES & RESPONSIBILITIES
As Creative Lead, I:
Developed the conceptual direction for the hotel’s visual world
Created original illustrations and integrated brand marks into artwork
Designed merchandise and printed collateral
Defined the tonal balance between luxury and adventure
RESULTS
Built a distinct, ownable visual identity rooted in illustration rather than conventional hotel branding
Created merchandise that feels collectible and experiential rather than promotional
Established a scalable visual language adaptable for future expansion across signage, packaging, and digital
CREATIVE TEAM
Mimi Wilder — Creative Lead | Branding, Illustration, Merchandise