SHUTSVERSE Calendar 2026

Client: Leah "The Shuts" Shutkever | Role: Lead Designer | Date: August 2025

The SHUTSVERSE Calendar 2026 is a 300 mm × 300 mm merch collectible that celebrates Leah Shutkever’s headline moments—her Guinness World Record challenges and standout media appearances—alongside an editorial-style mash-up of Marvel and DC heroes, Mortal Kombat fighters, and gaming icons like Lara Croft. Each month is designed as a limited-edition poster that fans can display and use.

Project Overview

We delivered a premium desk and wall calendar that highlights:

Leah’s world-record eating challenges and key TV/radio features.
Iconic superheroes and villains from Marvel and DC.
Mortal Kombat legends and classic gaming figures such as Lara Croft.
A 300 mm × 300 mm square format with high-quality print finishes and foil accents.

Key deliverables:

Twelve themed spreads (January–December), each pairing Leah’s achievements with one pop-culture character.
A dynamic cover featuring Leah centerstage among assembled icons.
Print-ready 300 mm × 300 mm PDFs and packaging mockups with £25 retail banding.

Project Goals

Brand Fusion: Fuse Leah’s “The Shuts” persona—her world-record feats and media highlights—with blockbuster characters.
Collectibility: Craft each spread as a poster-like keepsake at a £25 price point.
Functionality & Artistry: Combine clear date grids (with space for notes) and bold visuals in a square format.

Process

1. Research & Theming

I dived into Leah’s Guinness World Record archives and media timeline on theshuts.co.uk alongside Marvel, DC, and gaming lore. This mapped out twelve signature moments—like her record-breaking hot dog challenge and Netflix guest spot—and matched each with a complementary pop-culture hero or villain.

2. High-Fidelity Mockups

Using Figma, I crafted three pilot months:

March: Spider-Man web-sling meets Leah’s chili-eat spectacle.
May: Lara Croft adventuring as Leah trains for her next record.
October: Scorpion’s fiery fists alongside Leah’s spicy-wing challenge.

Typography balanced sturdy sans-serifs for dates with a handwritten display font echoing The Shuts’ playful tone. Color accents (metallic gold, deep red) reinforced both cinematic and brand aesthetics.

3. Feedback & Iteration

Collaborating with Leah and her merch team, I:

Adjusted image overlays to ensure character & Leah both read clearly.
Tweaked grid spacing for easy note-taking.
Added callouts for geek-culture anniversaries and Leah’s upcoming event dates.

4. Production & Packaging

Final spreads were exported as 300 mm × 300 mm PDFs with print bleeds. I also designed a minimalist wraparound band featuring pop-art motifs, calendar name, and price (£25), plus dielines for UK print partners.

Final Outcome

The SHUTSVERSE Calendar 2026 spotlights Leah Shutkever’s record-breaking legacy and media moments in a pop-culture context. Fans sold out the initial run within 48 hours, praising the collectible square format and character mash-ups.

Reflection

Successes:

Elevated Leah’s world-record and media highlights through dynamic pop-culture pairings.
Delivered a functional, collectible 300 mm × 300 mm calendar with premium touches.
Achieved rapid sell-out and strong social buzz.

Future Enhancements:

QR Integration: Link each month to Leah’s challenge replays or character lore videos.
Limited Variants: Offer signed prints or alternative colorway covers.
Accessibility: Ensure contrast ratios meet WCAG AA; add PDF alt text descriptions.

Pre-order & Follow

Visit theshuts.co.uk/merch or follow @shutkeverofficial for restock and behind-the-scenes updates.