Under Heaven: Independent Apparel Brand
Art Direction, Brand Idenity, E-commerce
About:
Under Heaven is a cultural experiment turned profitable side hustle, built around 90s/2000s nostalgia, bratty humor, and a punk-meets-internet aesthetic. The shop explores fan-made art, DIY bootleg shirt culture, and bold statement apparel to create an intentionally raw and authentic internet-based brand.
Insight:
In shaping Under Heaven, the core insight revolves around a cultural craving for authenticity and playful nostalgia. Today’s Gen Z and Millennial audiences want to break free from hyper-curated social media personas and return to that fun, messy, indie-sleaze era—a time before everything was so polished and commoditized.
Concept:
Under Heaven is a playful nod to the gritty, tongue-in-cheek spirit of 90s MTV and early internet indie sleaze culture. We’re bringing back that sense of partying, silliness, and self-aware trashiness—where it’s all a bit irreverent and never too serious. It’s about having fun with a wink and a smile, embracing a vibe that’s a little bit wild and a lot self-aware.
Under Heaven: Cultural Experiment & E-Commerce
This self-initiated project explored trend forecasting and digital entrepreneurship, applying my background in marketing, advertising, and design to emerging internet culture. The result was a profitable e-commerce venture with 295+ international sales.
Taregt Audience:
I developed a targeted audience strategy focused on 20–30-year-old e-girls, ironic girlies, and fans seeking bootleg-style merch for artists with limited or rare official drops, as well as bold statement shirts. I successfully expanded into an international market across the USA and Europe. I crafted a relatable shop digital persona—cosplaying as an influencer—while leveraging cultural trend forecasting to connect with buyers on a personal level.
Tools:
Through this project, I self-taught the entire e-commerce ecosystem: SEO, Shopify, Etsy optimization, Meta Business Suite, Ads Manager, and A/B creative testing. This brand became both a creative experiment and a masterclass in branding, trendspotting, and full-stack e-commerce management.