Behind the Scenes with Team Destira: Christmas on the Chesapeake 2024
We are so excited to be heading to Baltimore this December for Christmas on the Chesapeake! Not only is Destira the exclusive leotard vendor for the event, but we also designed the 2024 Christmas on the Chesapeake Commemorative leotard.
Team Destira has had an incredible experience working with the Christmas on the Chesapeake team over the last few months. From designing the new leotard to planning the products and goodies for the event - our team has been hard at work making sure that this year’s Christmas on the Chesapeake is magical.
We sat down with our Senior Design Manager, Alex, and chatted about her experience designing the 2024 Christmas on the Chesapeake leotard. Check it out!
Where did the inspiration for the COTC leotard come from? How was working with the COTC team on making their event leotard come to life?
For the Christmas on the Chesapeake leotard, I had the chance to speak directly with their team in order to get a clear vision of what they were hoping to see in this year’s design. As a designer, I rarely get the chance to meet with clients directly, so it was a treat in that I was able to meet the faces behind this exciting competition, and have the opportunity to ask specific questions to ensure we create something gymnasts will love!
For inspiration, we wanted to design something classic and timeless using an elegant font paired with the traditional Christmas Poinsettia. To elevate the look, I infused a gold-like shine throughout the graphic with festive red and green colors sprinkled in the details. I chose the black base color to make the foreground elements pop with contrast. The goal was to strike a balance of Christmas festivity and Elegance, both of which I believe were achieved.
What is your favorite part of the COTC leotard? Color, design, style, etc.
I personally love the delicacy of the Poinsettia illustration contrasted with the black base color, it allows for the illustration to be highlighted while staying true to the classic and elegant aesthetic that we wanted to create.
What is your design process for creating custom leotards for Destira clients? How do you know where to begin and carry on to the final products?
My design process always begins with inspiration! Some times I’ll receive some direction from clients on theme and color, and other times the direction is left open for me to creatively explore what I think their gymnasts might like best. After collecting information, I will either begin some rough sketches, or start designing on the computer depending on what illustration technique the client is looking for.
My design style is to go BIG with ideas and narrow down from there. I typically have a handful of ideas but consolidate them into 3 strong options I feel best represent what the client has requested. One of my favorite things about designing Custom teamwear here at Destira is the limitless creativity that’s able to be poured into all of these designs, allowing the gymnasts who wear them to feel empowered and confident while doing an activity they love.
