Here at Solopress, we were excited to be asked to design and print roller banners and merchandise for Strictly Come Dancing stars Katya Jones and Lewis Cope. Best known for his role as Nicky Milligan in the ITV soap opera Emmerdale, Lewis Cope was paired with professional dancer Katya Jones on the 2025 season. After their shock exit from the show, they decided to continue to share their passion for dance.
The pair embarked on a new adventure, leading a dance workshop together. They created the workshop for dancers of all abilities to be able to have fun dancing with these two amazing professionals.
With an unbranded space, they needed a way to bring it to life and create a memorable experience. They also wanted to offer a range of keepsakes for the group to purchase. This is where the Solodesign team came in.
Creating the logo
Our designers created the roller banners and merch logo design from scratch using only the brief and images provided. I spoke to Richard Kemp, who assisted with this project, and he told me about the logo design he created. Katya suggested images and graphic styles to use as inspiration, and asked him to create a bubbly and curved look. Richard used a variety of design techniques to create the right layout and curvature of the text, such as using Envelope Distort in Adobe Illustrator. The logo he created emblazoned T-shirts and Tote Bags to create merchandise so that those attending the workshops participants could have keepsakes to take away.
The ins and outs of roller banner layout and design
We spoke to Emma Smith, the lead designer on this project, to get some insider information. She told us that she initially felt some nerves on this project, as working with well-known celebrities brought “added the pressure to make no errors and meet the brief.” Emma further mentioned that she felt a great sense of responsibility to succeed and have the opportunity with Katya Jones in the future.
Emma did a good amount of research before beginning the project to ensure she could meet the brief comprehensively and accurately. Her research began by looking at different backdrops used in dance banners to gain an understanding of the style needed. The brief mentioned disco balls, bright, fun imagery and specific colours. Emma made sure to keep in contact with Katya Jones to ensure that her designs were going in the right direction. “Katya seemed to be drawn to purple, so I stuck with that theme.” She continued to bring the vision to life by refining and editing images provided, so that they could be perfect for the sizing and style of the roller banners.
The power of teamwork and learning
The rest of the design team supported Emma throughout her design process by sharing tips and new Photoshop skills to allow her to achieve the best results. “They helped with motivating me and giving their creative input, they are an amazing team.”
The biggest challenge Emma faced was refining her Photoshop skills on the fly. It was her least-used piece of editing software, so she was under pressure to learn quickly in order to produce top-quality work and still meet the deadline.
Emma’s biggest success was seeing her design in action and on social media. She described it as a “very proud moment.”
The results are in
The final product was a great achievement, and the Solodesign team has received widespread praise from both colleagues in the Solopress team and on social media. Katya Jones commented, “You guys have been so good at designing and creating all the products for us! Can’t thank you enough”.
Roller Banners are a great way to brand a space for pop-up events like Dance with Lewis & Katya. If you want If you need a hand getting your artwork together, Solodesign is here to help.
English