When we talk about design systems, we usually think buttons, components, and UI kits. But the Mono street riding project came from a very different place: street riding culture. I designed this publication a few years ago, but looking back at it now, it still feels fresh. It doesn’t feel tied to a specific trend, and that’s not by accident. That longevity comes from the system I built behind it. The challenge was to create something that lived in between two different worlds. The publication needed the raw, unpolished energy of a zine, but also the clarity, intention, and pacing of a lifestyle look-book. Those two references don’t naturally sit together: One is chaotic, expressive and gritty and the other is controlled and aspirational. The design system is what made the balance work.

Looking at each spread, they feel loose and almost accidental, but they aren't. There’s a low-key structure holding everything in place: — Consistent margin framework— Text block behaviour that does not compete with imagery— A repeatable pairing: restrained text & dominant image— A black-and-white image language with texture and grit This is where the “look-book” influence comes to the fore. Images lead, text supports and space is intentional. Here, that logic is applied to something much less polished: street riding, concrete, motion, and risk. Look-book publications often rely on clean grids, hero imagery and confident use of whitespace. This project borrows those principles, but removes the gloss. The imagery is raw, high-contrast, sometimes imperfect and the subject matter is physical and unpredictable. But the system treats it with the same level of importance you’d give a luxury product.

Zines are typically fast, personal and inconsistent (in a good way). But inconsistency doesn’t scale, especially when you’re trying to create something that also functions as a look-book or reference object. So, instead of removing the zine feeling, the system embodies it: — Layouts feel open and flexible— Typography feels quiet and secondary— Negative space creates pause— Each spread feels distinct The result is something that feels improvised, but reads as intentional.

More than anything, this system is about attitude. It controls how long a reader sits with an image, when text appears, when it disappears and how density and emptiness alternate across spreads. This is where the look-book influence becomes powerful. You're sequencing content and building a mood. A dense text page followed by a stark image spread demonstrates pacing. It mirrors the stop-start rhythm of street riding itself. Without a system, this kind of project would fall apart quickly: Too much freedom or too much control would lead to a loss of authenticity. The system creates a middle ground where enough structure maintains cohesion but with looseness to stay real. The design system takes the discipline of look-book publishing and applies it to something raw, so the work feels elevated, but never detached from its culture.