Notice: The nature of this work is confidential, I won't be able to show all project visuals for the time being. However, I can provide a description of the work I have done.
Athlete Studio is a platform built to help professional athletes manage their digital presence, content, products, and brand experiences.
The Studio CMS started as an internal tool for managing athlete information, personal websites, articles, subscriptions, and other content. As Athlete Studio grew, the CMS continuously evolved to support new workflows, products, and teams.
I worked on The Studio CMS across four major phases from 2020–2023, followed by smaller product and visual updates through 2024–2025.
My work spanned the product's visual identity, UI system, usability, content tools, AI-assisted features, and the introduction of Studio Space, a new collaboration layer connecting athletes and internal teams.
I worked as a Product Designer and Visual Designer, partnering closely with the founder, product team, and engineers throughout the product's evolution.
My responsibilities included:
The Starting Point
From an internal tool to a scalable product
When I joined Athlete Studio in 2020, The Studio CMS had already been built by the founder and engineering team to manage the growing athlete ecosystem.
It supported core operations such as:
Athlete Information · Personal Websites · Articles · Subscriptions · Content
As the platform expanded, the interface needed to evolve from a functional internal tool into a more cohesive and scalable product.
At the same time, Athlete Studio was developing a new brand identity.
I was asked to bring that new brand into the CMS and establish a visual foundation that could grow with the product.
Four Stages of Evolution
Rather than redesigning the CMS from scratch each time, I continuously refined the system based on brand evolution, internal usage, product needs, and feedback from the team.
01 / 2020 —
Establishing the Foundation
Rebranding the CMS & Introducing Content Engine
Brand Refresh · UI Design · Content Engine · Prototyping
After redesigning Athlete Studio's brand, I translated the new visual language into The Studio CMS.
I established the initial UI direction and redesigned key areas of the product to create a more cohesive relationship between the CMS and the new Athlete Studio brand.
I also designed the first version of the Content Engine, a lightweight tool that allowed users, regardless of design background, to quickly create social media posts for marketing purposes.
The goal was to make content creation fast and accessible, especially during high-volume periods such as sports seasons.
02 / 2021 —
Building the System
Refining the Brand & Design System
Design System · UI Components · Light / Dark Themes · Prototyping
The second phase focused on turning the initial visual direction into a more consistent product system.
I refined:
I explored both dark and light theme systems through prototypes and internal testing.
The light version was ultimately validated and shipped as the primary product experience, while key website sections remained dark to accommodate the engineering team's preferred working environment.
This phase established a more systematic visual language rather than treating each screen as an individual design.
03 / 2022 —
Designing for Usability
Reducing Noise, Improving Clarity
UX Refinement · Usability · Visual Restraint · Enterprise UI
As the team used the CMS more extensively, the focus shifted from visual exploration toward usability.
Based on usage patterns and internal feedback, I simplified key workflows and reduced unnecessary visual complexity.
I:
The result was a more focused and efficient interface while maintaining the established Athlete Studio brand.
The CMS began to feel less like an internal design tool and more like a polished, enterprise-ready product.
04 / 2023–2025 —
Rebranding, Studio Space, and AI Tools
After Athlete Studio separated from Dapper Labs, the CMS continued to evolve while maintaining an ongoing relationship and collaboration with Dapper Labs.
The team rebranded the Studio CMS, added a "Studio Space" section designed to facilitate communication and collaboration between athletes and internal teams, and introduced AI-assisted tools to enhance content creation efficiency.
Rebranding
Evolving into The Studio
During the 2023 rebrand, the CMS was officially renamed The Studio.
I worked with the design team on:
The updated visual language retained elements of Dapper Labs' aesthetic while establishing The Studio as its own product identity.
Studio Space
From content management to collaboration
One of the biggest product additions during this phase was Studio Space.
Studio Space extended the CMS beyond managing content and websites into a dedicated space for communication and collaboration between athletes and internal teams.
The product direction evolved from:
Manage → Create → Publish
into:
Manage → Create → Collaborate → Publish
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I also designed the Studio landing page and created the launch video introducing the new feature.
Studio Space Launch Video
Content Engine & AI-Assisted Tools
Making content creation faster
Content creation remained an important part of The Studio's evolution.
The original Content Engine provided a fast way for users to create social media content without requiring a design background.
Later iterations expanded the CMS with AI-assisted features within Content Engine and article publishing modules.
I collaborated closely with front-end engineers to refine the UI and visual experience as these new capabilities were introduced.
The goal was to make increasingly powerful tools feel approachable and consistent within the existing CMS.
Impact
01 //
Over multiple product phases, The Studio evolved from an internal athlete management tool into a more cohesive CMS and collaboration platform.
02 //
My work contributed to the evolution of:
→ Athlete Management
→ Content Management
→ Brand System
→ Content Creation
→ AI-Assisted Tools
→ Team Collaboration
03 //
Across the product, I established and refined:
04 //
The project also became an example of how a product can evolve continuously through brand, usability, technology, and changing team needs, rather than relying on a single large redesign.
