I’m Royal Lee.
Creative Director — Queens, New York
Most brands don't fail because they're ugly. They fail because they're confused. Your logo doesn't match your messaging. Your website tells a different story than your pitch. Your team doesn't know what you actually stand for.
I fix that.
I've spent 20+ years building brands that stay consistent across every touchpoint.
Through Eliantte — one of the most recognized custom jewelers in hip-hop — I designed luxury pieces worn by Lil Wayne, Travis Scott, MUSTARD, Rich the Kid, and City Girls. That work was featured in TASCHEN's NYT-bestselling publication ICE COLD: A Hip-Hop Jewelry History, and selections from the ICE COLD collection were exhibited at the American Museum of Natural History — an opening ceremony I was invited to attend. The work has been covered by GQ, TMZ, BET and MTV.
I also spent 11 years working for Apple, long enough to lead a mural project that earned amplification from Apple's VP of Environment, Policy & Social Initiatives, and commission follow-on work at Chelsea Piers Fitness. See the work →
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I listen before I design.
Most designers start with a mood board. I start with a conversation. That conversation is where the real work happens.
1. We talk first. Before I sketch anything, I need to understand your business; not just your logo preferences. Where you're headed. Who you're trying to reach. What's not working now. That's the RFL Discovery Method. It's why the work holds up.
2. I build a system, not a logo. The logo is part of it. But what you're actually getting is a complete identity system — something you can hand to a printer, a developer, or a marketing team and have it look right every time.
3. You're involved, but not buried. There are structured checkpoints, not daily back-and-forth. You'll review concepts, give direction, and approve. I handle the rest.
4. Delivery is a handoff, not a goodbye. You get files, guidelines, and a system you actually know how to use. If you have questions after delivery, you're not on your own.
Timeline: Most projects run 30–60 days. The main variable is how quickly you respond. Communication speed is the timeline. I'm not the bottleneck.
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I don't skip the conversation. I don't send four generic sketches off a text message. If a client doesn't want the discovery process, they don't want me. That's fine.
Three things every project needs: integrity, alignment, and narrative. If those aren't there, neither am I.