PWHL: Concept Design for the new Detroit team

Discipline:Brand Identity

League:PWHL

City:Detroit, MI

Type:Concept / Student Work

Deliverables:Logo · Palette · Typography · Jerseys · Merch

A graphic design concept for a PWHL expansion team rooted in Detroit's identity: its industrial grit, its hockey history, and its pride.

01The concept

This is a concept design project. While I was in Ann Arbor, Michigan for my undergraduate studies, I became a huge fan of Detroit sports, so when I heard the PWHL was bringing a women's hockey team to the city, I was thrilled.

I started sketching ideas and researching Detroit's history, especially its deep automotive roots. That connection felt like the right thread to pull. The Red Wings' own branding has long leaned on the city's manufacturing legacy, and I wanted this new team's identity to carry that same lineage forward.

Research

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History of Detroit

Founded in 1701 on the Detroit River, the city became the center of American automotive manufacturing in the early 20th century. The Big Three (Ford, GM, and Chrysler) built not just cars but a working-class culture of pride and craft. Motown Records (est. 1959) transformed it into a cultural capital. Post-industrial challenges reshaped the city, yet a renaissance in arts, food, and design has redefined Detroit for a new generation.

Industrial Motown Automotive Renaissance Great Lakes

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History of Detroit Hockey

The Detroit Red Wings (est. 1926) are one of the Original Six NHL franchises and holders of 11 Stanley Cup championships. Detroit earned the nickname "Hockeytown," not as a marketing slogan, but as a lived identity. The octopus toss at Joe Louis Arena, the retired jersey banners, the Gordie Howe legacy: hockey is civic religion here. The PWHL expansion represents a new chapter in that legacy, finally giving women's hockey a permanent home in one of the sport's most passionate cities.

Red Wings Hockeytown Original Six PWHL Joe Louis Arena

02Visual identity