Asala began in 2007 as Canada’s first dabke group, created to celebrate Arab culture within the diaspora. Since then, it has grown into a global platform with around two million followers, using culture, performance and community to advocate for charitable, social and Palestinian causes. Its move into streetwear created a new way to turn cultural pride into something wearable, contemporary and purposeful.
Our aim was to build an urban streetwear identity that felt unmistakably Palestinian: grounded, bold and full of movement.
During the competitor analysis, we found a category saturated with familiar Palestinian symbols, from maps and keys to olive trees and leaves. These symbols carry real cultural weight, but rather than use them as expected visual shorthand, we looked for a more ownable way to embed their meaning into the identity.
The final wordmark uses the olive leaf as negative space, weaving Palestinian symbolism directly into the logo. Its fluid form draws from the rhythm and energy of dabke, creating a mark that feels active rather than static.
That idea of movement became the foundation of the wider identity. Across colour, texture, pattern and composition, the system reflects both Asala’s physical movement through performance and the global cultural movement it continues to build. Purpose was equally central to the brand experience. Each garment supports a specific charitable project and comes with a tag featuring the coordinates of the cause it is connected to. We treated these tags as more than functional labels: they became tangible links between the piece, the person wearing it and the place their purchase supports.
The tag system features a tatreez-inspired pattern formed from Asala’s mirrored and repeated “A” symbol. By building the pattern from the wordmark itself, we created a distinctive visual asset that references Palestinian craft without replicating traditional motifs. The result is an identity that connects Palestinian pride, collective movement and meaningful action across every touchpoint.
That idea of movement became the foundation of the wider identity. Across colour, texture, pattern and composition, the system reflects both Asala’s physical movement through performance and the global cultural movement it continues to build. Purpose was equally central to the brand experience. Each garment supports a specific charitable project and comes with a tag featuring the coordinates of the cause it is connected to. We treated these tags as more than functional labels: they became tangible links between the piece, the person wearing it and the place their purchase supports.
The tag system features a tatreez-inspired pattern formed from Asala’s mirrored and repeated “A” symbol. By building the pattern from the wordmark itself, we created a distinctive visual asset that references Palestinian craft without replicating traditional motifs. The result is an identity that connects Palestinian pride, collective movement and meaningful action across every touchpoint.
As part of our work with Asala, we designed their first clothing piece: a typography-led jumper inspired by dabke. The concept celebrates Palestinian heritage through movement while paying tribute to Asala’s origins as a performance group. Minimal in composition but full of energy, the back features Arabic typography reading “btdbk?” meaning “Do you dance dabke?” with letterforms shaped to feel rhythmic, expressive and alive.
Surrounding it are custom hand-drawn interpretations of the sounds, calls and shouts heard during dabke, embroidered across the garment as a subtle nod to the craftsmanship of Palestinian tatreez. These details reappear on the front, bringing the design together. Rather than relying on familiar Palestinian graphic tropes, the piece expresses culture through language, rhythm and collective energy. The result feels contemporary, celebratory and rooted in Palestinian pride.
As part of our work with Asala, we designed their first clothing piece: a typography-led jumper inspired by dabke. The concept celebrates Palestinian heritage through movement while paying tribute to Asala’s origins as a performance group. Minimal in composition but full of energy, the back features Arabic typography reading “btdbk?” meaning “Do you dance dabke?” with letterforms shaped to feel rhythmic, expressive and alive.
Surrounding it are custom hand-drawn interpretations of the sounds, calls and shouts heard during dabke, embroidered across the garment as a subtle nod to the craftsmanship of Palestinian tatreez. These details reappear on the front, bringing the design together. Rather than relying on familiar Palestinian graphic tropes, the piece expresses culture through language, rhythm and collective energy. The result feels contemporary, celebratory and rooted in Palestinian pride.
Asala began in 2007 as Canada’s first dabke group, created to celebrate Arab culture within the diaspora. Since then, it has grown into a global platform with around two million followers, using culture, performance and community to advocate for charitable, social and Palestinian causes. Its move into streetwear created a new way to turn cultural pride into something wearable, contemporary and purposeful.
Our aim was to build an urban streetwear identity that felt unmistakably Palestinian: grounded, bold and full of movement.
During the competitor analysis, we found a category saturated with familiar Palestinian symbols, from maps and keys to olive trees and leaves. These symbols carry real cultural weight, but rather than use them as expected visual shorthand, we looked for a more ownable way to embed their meaning into the identity.
The final wordmark uses the olive leaf as negative space, weaving Palestinian symbolism directly into the logo. Its fluid form draws from the rhythm and energy of dabke, creating a mark that feels active rather than static.
A PEAK OF THE BRAND GUIDELINES
A PEAK OF THE BRAND GUIDELINES
WHAT THE CLIENT HAD TO SAY
WHAT THE CLIENT HAD TO SAY
“We were mind blown by how all our branding came from nothing and that’s all thanks to her hard work”
“We were mind blown by how all our branding came from nothing and that’s all thanks to her hard work”
Wasef
Co-founder of Asala
Think we might be a good fit?
Think we might be a good fit?
Whether you're launching something new or evolving an existing brand, let's create an identity that's strategic, memorable, and built to last.
Whether you're launching something new or evolving an existing brand, let's create an identity that's strategic, memorable, and built to last.
