There’s something so magical and mysterious about Polaroid photos, and with film being expensive and hard to find these days, there’s an elusive quality about them as well. When I came across Polaroid photographer Fernanda Montoro‘s work, I was blown away by the simple beauty of each image. The colours, the lighting, the textures, the mood conveyed through each piece is breathtaking. I’ve been using Polaroid imagery in the Bicyclette branding as well as a source of inspiration, but these photos have made me want to start experimenting more and explore other ways to incorporate it. To be continued?
images via fernanda montoro
Yesterday I mentioned that I was experimenting with button designs at every opportunity, and that my most recent foray was into the wonderful world of vintage floral patterns. Anyways, here are some samples of those buttons, unfortunately still with phone pics only (I miss my camera!), but it gives you an idea. Various colour ways, keeping it simple with just the pattern and the little bike icon.
I also decided to pin some of them onto my vellum business cards, thinking that there might be times when I want to give someone a business card and include the button as a little extra. They kind of overlap the logo and bike on the card, and of course leave little holes where the pin was attached, but I still like the effect, and it’s nice to have the option. Voila!
So, what’s the consensus? Favourite colour ways?
I am now the proud owner of a button-making machine, as many of you will know if you follow me on Twitter, or if you read last week’s post. From the beginning, I’ve wanted to have some sort of little takeaway item that I can use for promotions and include with purchases. I was originally looking into laser cutting the shape into card stock and using that (inspired by my laser cut brand book cover back in the spring), but after the pricing turned out a little high, I decided on the promotional tool that everyone knows and love: buttons!
Anyways, thought I would do a little how-to in photos. Excuse the not-so-great phone pics, my DSLR decided to die on me, leaving me with no choice in the meantime. So far, I’ve just been experimenting, and this batch was using photos from the last shoot, and superimposing the little bike icon on them. Some turned out better than others, but overall, I’m pleased with the results and excited to play around with more ideas and designs. I have supplies to make 1000 buttons, so no shortage there!
So… what do we think?? Any special requests?
I picked up my new business cards today, which is always a somewhat daunting experience. I’ve dealt with printers enough times to know that you never really know what to expect and there are always surprises, often unwelcome. It doesn’t help that I still haven’t found a printer with whom I’m ready to enter into a monogamous relationship with. I wanted to try something new with this batch, and decided to print on vellum, which is a semi-transparent material that would allow me to play around with dimension a little by printing on both sides.
I’m still not sure how I feel about the final product. I’m really happy with the overall design, but I was expecting the vellum to be more transparent, and so the text that is printed on the back side is hard to read unless the card is held up to the light. Part of me thinks that it adds something and makes it more interesting and “interactive”, but I also know that it’s not the most legible design and will probably not go over well with everyone.
Thoughts?
So …. I’m completely exhausted (seems to be a trend recently, I wonder why …), but there have been so many exciting things happening with Bicyclette that it makes it all worth it. I’ve had a huge wave of creativity the past few days, resulting in a few new graphics for the website. I always find branding to be the hardest part, especially when it’s forced, so when it happens naturally, I’m one happy girl. I have a mockup of the homepage for the site that I’ve been inserted design elements into as they come into existence, and I must say, I’m loving what I have now, which is a very good sign indeed.
I think part of this new creative inspiration came courtesy of my dear friend Alex Perlin, who has her own company doing freelance graphic design and illustration work, and has always been such a source of inspiration for me and is oh-so-talented. I feel so honoured that she let me “borrow” a few illustrations from her for the site and other branding materials: a new sketched bike icon, and little birdie that will be part of my Twitter button. Thanks Alex!
I don’t want to give too much away, but I thought I would share the a version of the little bike illustration, which I’ve used as part of a new Polaroid logo design and appears as part of the website header. More to come later, but for now I have to take advantage of the NXNE wristbands we were lucky enough to snag, and let myself unwind a little!
As you all know (especially if you follow me on Twitter or Facebook), I’ve been busy putting together the various props and pieces for the school exhibition that opens tomorrow. Having gone through about 8 cans of spray paint and countless hours fiddling around with various ideas and whatnot, it’s finally starting to come together and look like a cohesive collection.
And breathe. Seeing as I’ve already been marked on my capstone and the whole exhibition portion is more for myself and exposure, I’ve had a few “why am I doing this?” moments, wondering why I’m putting so much time and effort into this. But I think it will be worth it, to get that greater sense of bicyclette through the exhibition set-up and have a space that truly represents the brand. Ask me tomorrow and we’ll see what I say then … !
So, without further ado, allow me to show you a few sneak peaks of the progress I’ve made …
Thrifted, repainted frames showcasing various brand elements
Laser cut book cover. Look closely for the etched bike in the corner ...
Repainted vanity drawer, Eiffel tower sculpture and the brand book itself
Dolce Vita dress from the new shipment (that perfectly matches the branding...)
I decided to include the last photo because I’m thinking I might buy/wear the Dolce Vita dress for the exhibition one of the nights, as it perfectly matches the colour scheme and, well, I kind of love it. Plus, I’ve been promising some snaps of the new shipment, but haven’t had the time to organize it, so this was a good excuse!
Hoping to see some of you at the exhibition tomorrow or Thursday!
Today’s brand spotlight is on … well, bicyclette. As you all know, I’ve been working on the brand book for awhile now, and I thought I would share the progress I’ve made thus far. Still have minor details to update and a few additions, but … this is the essence of it, through a few of my favourite spreads.
I would love to know any thoughts or feedback you might have before I get it printed and bound for the exhibition. Like I said, these only represent a selection of the layouts I’ve done… a teaser, if you will.
The idea is that I’ll have the bound book to share with attendees, which will be displayed on the vanity that I found and am repainting in one of bicyclette‘s branding colours (thoughts? Aqua or blue-purple?), and I’ll also print off the individual pages and frame them, displaying them in a more gallery-worthy setting and adding an extra element of bicyclette. That’s one of the techniques I want to use in the merchandising of the store, so I thought this would be a good chance to execute the idea and create a portion of the store environment at the exhibition. That’s where the thrifted frames I’ve been collecting come in. Next step is spray paint, silver leaf and sand paper … craft day, anyone?
I’ve spent the majority of this weekend working on the bicyclette brand book and the storyboards for an interactive Flash interface that has a paper-doll-meets-collage feel to it. Many hours on the computer, but I think I’ve finally grasped the look and feeling of what I want bicyclette‘s brand to be. Not saying that I’m close to being finished, but I;m happy to be able to move past the creative block I had.
Thought I would share some sneak peeks at what I’m working on. These aren’t full screen shots or fully finished, but they give you an idea of where I’m headed with it.
FLASH INTERFACE:
BRAND BOOK:
Note: The images used in these mock-ups are not all my own, nor am I taking credit for them
I’ve been working on the biyclette brand book for awhile, and recently have found myself lacking in inspiration. My daily blog roll is a constant source of new ideas and visuals, and it is through this that I came across Promise Tangeman, a graphic designer and photographer whose talent and vision is undeniable as evident through both her blog and website. I think one of the challenges I’m finding with the branding is coming up with a cohesive visual identity that can be applied in multiple situations, without being locked into something too corporate and repetitive. I want the essence of bicyclette to come through.
Promise’s style is evident in all of her work, and her use of colour, layering, textures and collage-like elements is impressive. I love the look and feel of it. She does a lot of work on weddings, and the personality really comes through there, as she is able to capture the essence of each individual couple, and create a brand for them.
Enjoy…
… And various branding concepts for Matilda Jane, a children’s clothing line. I love her use of colour, type and textures, and how she is able to create such a strong identity for the line. Inspirational, most definitely.
All images courtesy of Promise Tangeman
I’ve been a little obsessed with brand graphics as of late, due to the fact that I’m taking on the task of branding bicyclette, and so I’m constantly looking for new sources of inspiration. I recently picked up the oh-so-beautiful coffee table book Fashion Brand Graphics, which shares some of the best examples of graphic design in the fashion world and is a great visual resource to see how certain labels and stores share their brand identity through various mediums, keeping it consistent but never boring.
I must say, the whole process of creating an entire brand book for bicyclette is indeed a daunting one, but nonetheless, I’m excited to begin. Here are a few brand graphics that are inspiring me. If you want to take a closer look, click on the photos and they’ll get bigger. A lot bigger…
Giraffe is a specialist tie brand developed on the concept of “Dont let people tie you up around the neck. Let’s tighten up our own necks nice and tight and stare into the distance from on high like a giraffe”. Interesting. I love the simple photos, fold-out product cards and quirky tag line.
Mezzanine is a small boutique that delivers fresh style that intermingles two elements of avant garde and basic. The collage-like layout of their print materials and the sketches mixed with photographs really appeal to me, as does the catalogue, which has each item printed on a separate card.
Selframe boasts military-look casual wear for women who want a feminine, delicate silhouette. The design of the materials is consolidated by graphics overflowing with a classic taste. Simple, consistent and clean, enough said.
L’Appartment was developed from 25 keywords including art, night, vintage and rock, and offers selective items for female fashionistas with the concept of “my grown-up closet.” The graphics allude to a Parisian atmosphere, with a certain elegance. The whole concept behind this store, and the eclectic graphic style is very much in line with where I see bicyclette.
Milk Fed‘s brand concept is California Cool and features simple clothing for girls without relying on fads. The branding materials are kept extremely clean and simple and the brand is not afraid to flaunt it’s girly roots.
I know I’m a sucker for good branding, and have often been swayed by the strength of good design and overall brand image. I’m curious how important this is to everyone, and if there are any brands (fashion or otherwise) that stand out as exceptionally good or bad?
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