nina eleanor alter — oldsite ≤ 2009

Shift MX is a sub-brand that Fox launched in 1997, targeting the then-emerging X-Games crowd of freestyle motocross riders, and competitive racers wanting to adorn a more irreverent brand-image than the family-friendly, all-American Fox brand represented.
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Freestyle riders Mike Cinqmars and Seth Enslow are featured in the spreads above, from 1999's catalogue.
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1999's catalogue being the last of the millenium, the concept of forward movement was pursued. A more 'tech' and fashion-forward aesthetic than the motorcycle industry was accustomed to in 1999, followed; with the cornflower blue, use of transparent image overlays in Muybridge inspired sequences, scan-line embelishments, and an decidedly anti-macho tone.
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Photographic layering & transparency of product shots lent itself well both as an aesthetic device, and to also demonstrate to dealers & customers what alternate views of the apparel looked like—without the usual surrounding of one big square image, with an array of smaller square images. Different? Absolutely; but different in the spirit of innovation, which felt right.
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The quality of Shift riders' action photography was at an all-time low that season, which also had to be factored into the design. Hence, the small sequences of images aluding to filmstrips, was intentional; while also mirroring a similar treatment from the 1998 catalog.
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Unfortunately the published catalog dissappointed a lot of folks. While the riders were relieved that their images of underwhelming feats were kept to a thumbnail size, sales-reps were initially confused without the flurry of gnarly action shots and porn stars. Playing-down a 'pretty boy' image that the catalog was said to have given the riders, was also identified as a point of irritation. Over a decade later, I gotta admit—I am a little proud of the latter, given the industry's inclination towards misogyny and homophobia.
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In the years that followed I learned how to work more collaboratively, more effectively, and without losing the strength of a design vision, while also having way more fun. But for where I was at in 1999, and where others on the scrappy design team at Fox were at back then, too, I'm pleased with what went to press.
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