carlile swim
Preserving a Legacy, Preparing for the Future
Carlile Swim is one of Australia’s most recognised swimming brands. Known to many as Forbes Carlile, it’s built a strong reputation for teaching people to swim, developing competitive athletes, and helping generations feel confident in the water.
When Dormand Design was asked to refresh the brand, the brief was straightforward: modernise it without losing what people already knew and trusted. A complete redesign wasn’t needed. The challenge was to evolve the brand while keeping its familiar character intact.
Evolving an Icon
The existing logo had been around for decades, but some of its details felt dated. Rather than replacing it, Dormand Design looked closely at the elements that made it instantly recognisable.
The logo was carefully refined. Curves were simplified, proportions improved, and details cleaned up to create a sharper, more modern look. The result still felt unmistakably Carlile Swim but worked better in today’s digital world.
Logo Evolution / Brand Refresh / Brand Guidelines / Design System
Design Systems
Designed for Every Touchpoint
The refreshed identity also needed to work across a wide range of applications. From large format pool signage and uniforms to websites, social media profiles, and mobile screens, the brand had to remain clear and consistent.
To make that possible, Dormand Design created a suite of logo variations and lockups that could adapt to different sizes and formats while maintaining recognition and impact.
Building a Consistent Brand System
With the logo complete, the focus shifted to the wider brand.
A new design system brought together typography, colour, imagery, graphic elements, and layout guidelines. The aim was simple: every interaction should feel like Carlile Swim, whether someone was viewing a website, reading enrolment material, scrolling social media, or visiting a swim centre.
The system gives the team a clear framework while allowing enough flexibility for day-to-day communication.
The Outcome
The new identity strikes a balance between heritage and modern expectations. Carlile Swim kept the elements customers already recognised while gaining a more flexible and practical brand system for the future.
The response from the client was extremely positive, with the refreshed identity providing a strong foundation for the brand’s next chapter.
For Dormand Design, the project showed that successful brand evolution doesn’t always come from dramatic change. Often, it’s about recognising what’s already working and making it better.
A big thank you to Nick Souter and Mike Beckerleg for bring Dormand Design in on this project.
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