In Florence Italy, one can expect to find several wine bars located around the bustling train station, serving up coffee, panini and other classic Italian fare. Inspired by these quaint venues, Black Sheep Restaurant owners, Asim and Chris, asked us to generate the branding for such a place in their own neighborhood in Hong Kong.

The design approach was simple in nature, each aspect derived from authentic Italian constituents. The rusty orange brand hero color is reminiscent of classic Italian cocktails found on the menu, including Aperol Spritz, Americanos and Negronis, while Italian-inspired typefaces were used for the logo and typography.

With the visual identity established, we went on to develop designs for ceramic teacups, cloth serviettes, aprons for the staff, to-go packaging such as a coffee cup and panini bag, food and beverage menus, shop cards, outdoor signage, and other promotional materials. In contrast to the usual press release sent out in PDF format via email, we put together a full, 8-page newspaper, complete with a custom masthead, announcing the grand opening. To top it all off and ensure a memorable launch, playing on the venue name of “Stazione,” literally translating to mean “station,” we also designed a mock train ticket to be used as a voucher for customers to receive a panino on the house.