Lex (short for Lexicon) is the text-centred social app that aims to connect queer lovers and friends. Originally an Instagram account called Personals created by Kell Rakowski in 2017, it mimicked old school newspaper personal ads where people detailed their desires and romantic requirements.

Around 10,000 personals later, Rakowski launched Lex in 2019 as a “low-fi, text-centred dating app where queer people could be their unapologetic selves without facing censorship from major media sites”. While it initially had a romantic slant, it has since evolved into a space where communities are also built and friendships are forged.

To help convey this shift, &Walsh was brought in for the rebrand and has created the messaging framework, visual identity, UX/UI toolkit, and website design and development. 

Lex’s new direction focuses on the idea of an ever-growing queer playground and sees &Walsh leaning into this playfulness by creating a whimsical, fluid logo. The overall identity “tells a story of growth, energy and wellbeing, all the while maintaining a raw edge”. 

Avoiding the classic rainbow trope, this sentiment is echoed in the main green colour, ‘Lex Green’, and its palette of accompanying fresh, spring tones, along with sweet, simple illustrations of flowers, flames, mountains, hearts and stars all juxtaposed with rough textures. 

As a text-based app, &Walsh has paid special attention to the messaging framework to help empower users. Written by and for queer people, they’ve developed copy lines for custom stickers, which are available to users both on and offline to communicate pronouns, special interests and more. 

&Walsh has also developed a UX/UI toolkit and designed and developed Lex’s desktop and mobile website. This was informed by direct feedback from Lex users.

andwalsh.com