Flowering Street: A Creative Solution to Support the Homeless

Creating a Brand to Empower the Homeless

Flowering Street aims to encourage the homeless to believe in themselves and find meaningful employment to cover their daily needs, rather than relying on donations indefinitely. The brand's logo design was inspired by the street signs in London, which are a familiar sight to the homeless. It symbolizes the unity and camaraderie among the homeless community, who often refer to each other as "street friends." By incorporating this familiar symbol into the brand's identity, Flowering Street creates a sense of belonging and empowerment for the homeless.

The uniqueness of Flowering Street lies in its approach to tackling homelessness. Instead of traditional charity models, the brand focuses on selling flowers as a means of generating income for the homeless. Flowers are an ideal product for this purpose as they capture the attention of passersby and are easily accessible for the homeless to participate in selling. The prices of the flowers are set to align with the general market status, ensuring that the homeless receive a fair share of the profits as their income.

In terms of design realization, Flowering Street utilizes sustainable and eco-friendly materials. The flower wrapping is made from old newspapers collected at subway stations, reducing the need for unnecessary fancy decorations. Natural hemp ropes are used to tie the bouquets, further emphasizing the brand's commitment to environmental consciousness. Each bunch of flowers sold by the homeless is accompanied by a Thank You card, expressing gratitude from both the shops and the homeless for supporting their cause. These materials are all recyclable, allowing Flowering Street to save money on packaging and support more homeless individuals.

The Flowering Street project began in January 2019 in London and was completed in July of the same year. It took approximately seven months to conduct research, develop the brand's positioning, and design the visual elements. Initially focused on the homeless in London, the brand has plans to expand to other cities in the UK and eventually become a global brand.

Mingjun Jiang conducted extensive research for this project, including face-to-face interviews, participation in volunteer activities, field trips with the homeless, and literature reading. This comprehensive approach helped him gain a deep understanding of the current situation of homelessness in the UK and identify the underlying causes of this social issue.

Despite facing challenges such as ensuring the project's sustainability, addressing concerns about business licenses, and creating a visual system that balances social impact and floral elegance, Mingjun Jiang overcame these obstacles through careful planning and innovative design solutions.

Flowering Street's impactful design has been recognized with the Bronze A' Design Award in Graphics, Illustration, and Visual Communication Design in 2021. This prestigious award acknowledges the brand's outstanding creativity and resourcefulness in addressing social issues and contributing to the improvement of quality of life.