History Woven Through: Cadency Students Launch “The Village” Brand

Where textiles were once stitched, and neighbors became family, the Village of West Greenville
begins a new chapter. On April 22, 2025, the Village Business Association and Clemson
University’s Cadency launched the new branding of the Village following nine months of work at
Six and Twenty Distillery. Account Manager Kylie DeWeese ’26, Brand Strategists Bryson
Padgett ’25, Brooke Bedell ’26, and Evy Lane ’26, Graphic Designer Natalie Bell ’25, and UI/UX
Designer Isabella Greco ’26 presented a semester’s worth of work to an audience of local
business owners and community members.

To bring greater cohesiveness to the Village, the branding was built around the area’s
foundational pillar: community.

From the very beginning of this partnership, the robust history of the West Greenville area was
sought out by Cadency students. From multiple trips to the Clemson University Archives and
weeks of research and strategy building, the stories of mill communities, baseball legends, and
hard-working families emerged. The Village of West Greenville was a thriving mill village that
was truly a family of families.

Understanding this deeply rooted identity was essential to the process. This history was
paramount to creating a brand that would pay homage to the community.

Every design choice tells a piece of the story. The dashes surrounding the logo mimic the
stitched thread once found inside Brandon and Woodside Mills and on the jerseys of the mills’
baseball teams. The bold serif “V” echoes the spirit of entrepreneurship in Brandon Mill a
century ago by paying homage to the local laundry service of the time, an icon inspired by a
decades old photo hidden inside of an album in the archives.The flowing script font points to the
baseball jerseys worn within the mill communities. Together, the colors, illustrations, and
typefaces bridge the Village’s legacy with its bright, collaborative future.

(Pictured above is an image of initial renderings of The Village logo designed by Graphic Designer Natalie Bell ’25.)

The Village is special because of its community. It has always been a place where stories are
shared, neighbors look out for one another, and small businesses are built. This rebrand is not
brand new; it’s a celebration of the people who have shaped the Village into what it is today and
a commitment to preserving that spirit as it continues to grow. With the support of business
owners, artists, and residents, the Village brand reflects a community that honors its past while
boldly stepping into its future: together.