E1 AOKI
RACING TEAM
︎WORLDWIDE, 2025
BRAND DESIGN | ART DIRECTION | 3D DESIGN
Leading Art Direction and Brand Besign for DJ and artist Steve Aoki to design a custom brand for his E1 Series racing team. This art direction extended across all aspects of the team’s uniform, including the livery, branding, helmet, and gloves.
︎︎︎ IDEA TO EXECUTION
RACING TEAM
︎WORLDWIDE, 2025
BRAND DESIGN | ART DIRECTION | 3D DESIGN
Leading Art Direction and Brand Besign for DJ and artist Steve Aoki to design a custom brand for his E1 Series racing team. This art direction extended across all aspects of the team’s uniform, including the livery, branding, helmet, and gloves.
︎︎︎ IDEA TO EXECUTION
1 CONCEPT AND VISION
The project began with a single goal: to translate Steve Aoki’s high-energy identity into a visual language powerful enough to thrive on the water. As a global DJ, Aoki’s brand is defined by movement, intensity, and cultural depth to his Japanese heritage; to ensure his E1 team matched this, inspiration was drawn from Aoki’s Japanese roots - centering the concept around the dragon; a timeless symbol of power, resilience, and controlled chaos in Asia. Much like the E1 boats themselves also, the dragon represents strength in motion, dominating lands and seas with purpose and precision.
The project began with a single goal: to translate Steve Aoki’s high-energy identity into a visual language powerful enough to thrive on the water. As a global DJ, Aoki’s brand is defined by movement, intensity, and cultural depth to his Japanese heritage; to ensure his E1 team matched this, inspiration was drawn from Aoki’s Japanese roots - centering the concept around the dragon; a timeless symbol of power, resilience, and controlled chaos in Asia. Much like the E1 boats themselves also, the dragon represents strength in motion, dominating lands and seas with purpose and precision.
2 ARTISTIC INSPIRATIONS
The visual system of this identity took inspiration from Ukiyo-e, the traditional Japanese woodblock print style known for its bold compositions, fluid movement, and graphic storytelling. These historic techniques were reinterpreted through a contemporary lens by introducing bold and high-impact colour palettes found commonly in Aoki’s pioneering presence within in music. By merging heritage craftsmanship with modern aesthetics, the design bridges past and present, echoing the way Aoki blends tradition with innovation in his career.The brand identity’s core visuals were inspired by the bold, energetic style of Japanese drift car logos. This dynamic aesthetic, combined with motifs drawn from ukiyo-e, creates a timeless expression of Steve Aoki’s Japanese heritage.
The visual system of this identity took inspiration from Ukiyo-e, the traditional Japanese woodblock print style known for its bold compositions, fluid movement, and graphic storytelling. These historic techniques were reinterpreted through a contemporary lens by introducing bold and high-impact colour palettes found commonly in Aoki’s pioneering presence within in music. By merging heritage craftsmanship with modern aesthetics, the design bridges past and present, echoing the way Aoki blends tradition with innovation in his career.The brand identity’s core visuals were inspired by the bold, energetic style of Japanese drift car logos. This dynamic aesthetic, combined with motifs drawn from ukiyo-e, creates a timeless expression of Steve Aoki’s Japanese heritage.
3 EXECUTION AND OUTCOME
With a strong foundation, whats delivered is a bold, instantly recognisable identity that commands attention on and off the water. It is one that doesn’t just decorate the race but also one that outperforms its competition with it.
With a strong foundation, whats delivered is a bold, instantly recognisable identity that commands attention on and off the water. It is one that doesn’t just decorate the race but also one that outperforms its competition with it.