March 2015

Image at retail

Kellyco@work | ROTHMANS (identity). Designed identity for New York menswear store. Modernized identity was implemented with opening of new Manhattan location featuring both an expanded inventory of stylish business attire and contemporary casual labels. Identity utilized across signage, packaging and tag systems.

PPR (formerly Pinault-Printemps-Redoute), home to labels such as Gucci and Puma, is changing its name to Kering. The change apparently reflects its transformation from a French conglomerate to a global luxury, sports and lifestyle group. The new corporate name is accompanied by a stylized owl logo and a tagline, “Empowering Imagination.” The accompanying release and Facebook post suggest the pronunciation, “caring,” is meant to signify the group’s approach of cultivating its brands. It also apparently draws on the company’s—and family roots in France’s Brittany region. “Ker” signifies home in Breton. The “ing” is meant to invoke movement or action as with “doing” and “going” The creation of the company’s new name was a joint effort between an outside agency and PPR’s internal communications team. Identity was release along with a vi deo. Verdict is out on how this will fly within the world of luxury. Seems to us that it looks and sounds like a product line or brand vs. a corporation. As it is intending for branding under only the corporate umbrella, we don’t anticipate much of a stir. Bonne chance…

Dunraven Street, Tonypandy, May 2014

Vintage TWA travel posters, destination Ireland.

BUSK Festival identity by Studio Thomas Kronbichler.

Rei Kawakubo, designer at Comme des Garçons’ extends her aesthetic vision beyond clothing to embrace every facet of her company, delivering both an impressive consistency and an innovative boldness to the brand globally. The controlled presentation of her clothes stands out against the architecture of her shops, which always include the prominent presence of photography, graphics, and packaging. Like the brand’s fragances which are numbered instead of being named, promotions and announcements are often numbered series. Content within each effort is generally light on text, often relying on the juxtaposition of strong bold images usually not directly related to the clothes themselves. Innovative formats, interesting materials and high quality production all make a Comme des Garçons promotion something to covet. And in this world with an increasingly short attention span, that is quite something…