Seafood restaurant “abysse” lead by the young owner-chef Kotaro Meguro was awarded the Michelin 1-star within a year of its opening in March 2015 in Gaienmae, Tokyo. As part of their move to Daikanyama in March 2019, we were in charge of branding as well as holistic art direction and design, encompassing the logo, V.I., graphic design, signage, website, uniforms, and ambient music.

The French word “abysse”, in addition to signifying the depth of the ocean, carries the meaning “of having depth”. In creating the logomark and brand color we drew inspiration from their concept of evoking the oceanic depths and deepness of the flavor of their dishes. In the interior, the use of wood salvaged from the ocean expresses the depth of both the ocean and forest.

The menus styled like letters welcoming guests to their tables are adorned with foil stamps and signed by the chef. In order to design a complete dining experience, we carefully selected the chef uniforms in the open kitchen as well as curating the ambient music to stimulate the senses while creating a serene atmosphere. 

The aim of our branding project is to express their reverence for the ocean, forest, and approach to materials, in the hopes of ushering “abysse” into the global stage.