unplugged

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unplugged

A discreet home for style in Tokyo

In the late summer of ’19, our friend Shin-san contacted us for some help in brand direction for their new hair salon business. After following up on their plans and concepts, it caught our eyes as we proposed some directions & ideas. After some time, they commissioned us to initiate the visual branding project for their new place: unplugged. Along with the owners, we collaborated to define their brand’s directions, keywords, and the look-and-feel of their overall communications.

unplugged, discreetly located in Omotesando’s quiet back-streets, is an escape from Tokyo’s busy and crowded scenery. Matching their location and vision of the salon, we defined the brand keywords that go by: discreet, great style, quality craft, at home, and most importantly, relaxing.

The salon features big spaces, mirrors, and American barber-like chairs along with vintage counters showcasing a collection of vinyl and a record player hooked up to a pair of Altec speakers. By request, Shin-san brews a fresh hand-drip coffee at the end of each session, offering the customer the most relaxing times after a good day. These elements, along with the keywords, became our essential inspiration and direction for creating a new visual identity.

Staying low-key played a significant role in its visual identity, with the brand name displayed in all low-caps, elegantly shaped but simple in its overall look-and-feel. With the brand identity, we’ve constructed a set of patterns, use cases, and guidelines to maintain their brand in the long run, consistently across their means of communication with clients, events, and stylists.