The Washington Ballet Gala
Brand and campaign design for the Washington Ballet's annual Gala, built around the transformative themes of metamorphosis, rebirth, and evolution.
Client
The Washington Ballet
Project
Campaign Branding
Category
Gala Events
Roles
Art Direction
Identity Design
Specialty Print Design
An evening of dining, drinks, dancing, and transformation.
For two consecutive seasons, I was tasked to create digital and print pieces for The Washington Ballet’s annual gala. This event was designed to establish an atmosphere of elegance, celebration, performance, and giving.
In 2024, the key themes were metamorphosis, rebirth, and evolution. In 2025, the new motif was a luxurious and enigmatic masquerade. We had the opportunity to expand on both of these core concepts and create expressive event materials that trickled out as gala evening approached. These ranged from sponsorship materials, Save The Date e-vites, event hype videos, and custom foil pressed invitations.
The design evolved into a more refined and unified system.
Making Something Very Special
Opportunities to work in specialty print are rare, making this project especially rewarding. I designed and worked with a local printer to produce over 1,000 premium invitations in support of the arts. Several concepts were presented, and Concept 6 was the winner.
The Final Invitation
Centuries-Old Methods
I had the pleasure of collaborating with AccuColor Plus to create a custom invitation suite that feels as special in hand as it looks on paper. The final design was produced on beautifully thick, dark stock, finished with rich gold foil that catches the light in a subtle, elegant way.
What makes this piece truly distinctive is how it was brought to life.
Printed on a vintage press dating back to the early 1900s, the process honors the legacy of traditional letterpress—where each impression is intentional, tactile, and deeply crafted. Using copper plates, the design was physically pressed into the paper, creating a depth and texture that simply can’t be replicated digitally. The result is an invitation that doesn’t just communicate an event, but embodies a sense of permanence, craftsmanship, and history.
