ACE Performance Skis

The Request:
I had the pleasure of collaborating on a unique project brought to me by my long-time friend and colleague, Baer Connard of ACE Performance. He was in the midst of ordering custom skis from Parlor, a custom ski company based in East Boston. Knowing my passion for skiing and mountain biking, Baer entrusted me with this exciting endeavor. The goal was to create a race track-oriented design that seamlessly integrated his three brands. This design would serve not only as a visually striking piece but also as a great conversation starter with potential clients during chair lift rides.

Project Scope:

Design Process

This project was incredibly fun! It all began with a brief outline from Baer, highlighting his three logos and leaving the rest to my creative direction. Our next step was an insightful tour of Parlor’s facilities, where I gained a thorough understanding of their production methods, printing processes, and capabilities.

With this knowledge in hand, I dove into sourcing imagery related to race tracks and car liveries. My goal was to create something bold and abstract, a design that would ignite conversations. I developed six distinct designs, each incorporating similar elements but varying in approach. They ranged from aggressive gradient designs to tire mark imagery on a track, complete with tire smoke, and even stylized tire marks on the track curbing. The logos were strategically placed on the nose and tails of the skis for maximum visibility.

The final design that stood out was the full graphic of stylized tire marks on the track curbing. It struck the perfect balance—abstract enough not to overtly scream 'race track,' yet bold enough to make a statement on the slopes. This design provided a striking backdrop that contrasted beautifully with the logos, ensuring it would be a real conversation starter.