Joe Troman

Design, Branding, Collaborations.

After two years in the works, I’m excited to finally share a project that’s been close to my heart; a special collaboration between HEAD and Palm Tree Crew, launched with Taylor Fritz as the face of the campaign.

A Bit About Palm Tree Crew

Palm Tree Crew (PTC) is a lifestyle brand founded by Kygo and his manager Myles Shear, built around a sense of warmth, music, and easygoing energy. Their identity is bold but laid-back, and when HEAD partnered with them, the goal was to bring some of that tropical flavour into the world of tennis.

My Role

I led the creative direction for the collection; shaping the look and feel across racquet graphics, bag patterns, color system, and overall brand expression. The goal was to bring a playful but elevated energy to the court, rooted in Miami’s vibrant colour palette and the laid-back luxury of Palm Tree Crew.

The idea of “bringing the heat to the court in pink and blue” became a central theme, a nod to the tropical, sunset-soaked vibe of PTC, balanced with the high-performance edge of HEAD.

Alongside the design work, I was also deeply involved in:

• Pitching initial concepts and refining directions based on partner feedback
• Liaising with Palm Tree Crew, aligning creative vision across both brands
• Working through multiple design iterations, especially on the bag pattern
• Branding the full collection, ensuring visual consistency and cohesion across all elements

There were definitely challenges along the way; including a last-minute redesign when a new colorway was requested just before launch. But it all came together, and as a tennis fan, seeing Taylor walk onto court with something I helped create was a seminal moment for me.

Looking Back

This project was a real mix of creativity, collaboration, and problem-solving, and a great example of what can happen when you bring together different worlds like tennis, music, and design.

Working across multiple teams and time zones, I had to balance creative direction with input from a range of stakeholders, each bringing their own perspective and priorities to the table. It reinforced the importance of clear communication, adaptability, and knowing when to push for a creative vision vs. when to pivot.

It was a rewarding challenge, and one that sharpened my ability to guide complex projects from concept through to launch.