WORK / Brand
Esplanade
Identity
Beach clubs of a bygone era provide inspiration for this modern take on a classic seaside Italian restaurant and bar.
Beach clubs of a bygone era provide inspiration for this modern take on a classic seaside Italian restaurant and bar.
Using subtle reference to old Italian diners and beach clubs of the past, we had the pleasure of creating the identity, print work and website for New Zealand based Italian restaurant The Esplanade.
Working alongside the talented Nat Cheshire & his team at Cheshire Architects (who did an incredible job on the interior) we shared mood-boards very early on in the process, refining our ideas to make sure that the brand and interior complimented each other.
Although choosing to retain the restaurant's original name, intentions from the client were for a complete brand overhaul and logo re-design. Having both spotted the charming original logo which was rendered in gold leaf above the door however, and considering the historic character of the building as a whole, the whole team felt passionately that the new restaurant should respect it's history and not wipe away the traces of its past altogether. We thoughtfully re-worked the old logo, drawing it again by hand and giving it some subtle improvements in the process. A new monogram was also crafted that could be used throughout the restaurant (on napkins, menus etc) also referencing members clubs or beach resorts of the past. This all meant that we could give the owners a strong sense of ownership of their new brand without wiping out its history altogether.
We continue to apply the brand to print work and other collateral, including menus, matchbooks, business & coffee cards, coasters, and even embroidered linen napkins.
Brand & logo creation
Print collateral
Web design & development
