Client: Dossier
Services: Product Design, Brand Strategy, Logo Design, Visual Identity System
Industry: Fashion
Fashion’s hierarchy was once strictly linked to price, quality, and traditional notions of status and wealth. Contemporary fashion—and luxury—is much more complex and dynamic than this once simple calculus.
The dominant paradigm is shifting from exclusivity to inclusivity; there is no longer a single concrete definition of an elite luxury brand. Today, luxury fashion is about contextualization, and communicating this contextualization across formats and mediums.
It was in this environment of flux, we were asked to produce a comprehensive visual identity package for Dossier, an emerging fashion label that needed branding to reach today’s luxury consumer.
The dominant paradigm is shifting from exclusivity to inclusivity; there is no longer a single concrete definition of an elite luxury brand. Today, luxury fashion is about contextualization, and communicating this contextualization across formats and mediums.
It was in this environment of flux, we were asked to produce a comprehensive visual identity package for Dossier, an emerging fashion label that needed branding to reach today’s luxury consumer.
At project’s inception, we discovered that Dossier was clear on their values and purpose, but they required clarity on how to relate to a culturally connected, style-savvy audience that already had refined and well-established taste.
Their target demographic was 18 - 27. We recognized that any contemporary fashion must engage this audience organically, or lapse into irrelevancy; youth-driven culture and fashion trends now begin from the ground up.
Dossier’s ethos rested upon an eye towards a harmonious balance between innovation and functionality, and a belief that both concepts can be expressed within the same element.
Their target demographic was 18 - 27. We recognized that any contemporary fashion must engage this audience organically, or lapse into irrelevancy; youth-driven culture and fashion trends now begin from the ground up.
Dossier’s ethos rested upon an eye towards a harmonious balance between innovation and functionality, and a belief that both concepts can be expressed within the same element.
When Dossier engaged us on this branding project, they were planning to present their first collection in Toronto and Vancouver, but equally important was creating a recognizable online brand and presence.
This in-built conceptual tension—classic functionality vs. modern innovation—was a major inspiration for the name we selected for the brand: Dossier, or a collection of documents about a particular person, event, or subject.
A meta-textual tautology, Dossier reflects the garments the brand produces as a fully integrated compilation of colour palettes, graphics, fabrics, and cuts, which intersect to express perfect synchronicity heritage and progression in fashion.
This in-built conceptual tension—classic functionality vs. modern innovation—was a major inspiration for the name we selected for the brand: Dossier, or a collection of documents about a particular person, event, or subject.
A meta-textual tautology, Dossier reflects the garments the brand produces as a fully integrated compilation of colour palettes, graphics, fabrics, and cuts, which intersect to express perfect synchronicity heritage and progression in fashion.
After establishing the principal foundation upon the branding which Dossier rests, we moved to create a comprehensive visual identity and brand strategy package.
To create total internal alignment for Dossier, we built a style guide outlining the brand’s mission statement, values, differentiators, graphic identity, photographic guidelines, logo, typography, colour palette, and brand differentiators.
To create total internal alignment for Dossier, we built a style guide outlining the brand’s mission statement, values, differentiators, graphic identity, photographic guidelines, logo, typography, colour palette, and brand differentiators.
Our style guide revolved around the following core principles for Dossier:
Design: Every component of design must posses a defined purpose and function.
Development: In its every production, Dossier must engage in an artistic process predicated upon quality, consistency, and innovation.
Production: Dossier will reference standard practices, yet implement progressive and signature methods of sourcing and manufacturing.
Relations: Consistently develop personalized relationships with each customer, through attention to cultural conversation and professional dependability
Consistency: Release product and content that adheres to Dossier evidently uniform identity.
Development: In its every production, Dossier must engage in an artistic process predicated upon quality, consistency, and innovation.
Production: Dossier will reference standard practices, yet implement progressive and signature methods of sourcing and manufacturing.
Relations: Consistently develop personalized relationships with each customer, through attention to cultural conversation and professional dependability
Consistency: Release product and content that adheres to Dossier evidently uniform identity.
Dossier’s primarily logo is designed to communicate the nuances of the brand’s philosophy: sophisticated, yet unconventional. We began with a monospace font, modifying certain characters to reduce their “textbook” bulk, proceeding to create hybrid monospace-sans serif typeface.
Each letter has been configured and customized to provide Dossier with its own typographic style that reflects the brand’s values and highly refined yet unconventional vision.
Each letter has been configured and customized to provide Dossier with its own typographic style that reflects the brand’s values and highly refined yet unconventional vision.
Dossier’s branding and identity was presented alongside their first collection, and their visual identity package was used across social media platforms, pop-up events, and product packaging.
Dossier has since been featured in several major media publications, and has been heralded as one of the best new brands to watch in Canadian fashion.
Dossier has since been featured in several major media publications, and has been heralded as one of the best new brands to watch in Canadian fashion.
