Melissa – ÖPĚN VĬB£§

Melissa is a Brazilian footwear brand with international activities. We were invited to design the visual identity of its A/W 18 collection, Open Vibes. Furthermore, we were also in charge of the art direct all its photographic material and the graphic design of every communication pieces, ranging from print to digital and visual merchandising.

The visual identity proposed is based on the tension between cultural and natural, exploring graphically the fine line that divides the two universes. How man appropriates nature and how he responds to these stimuli were important pillars for the work. The wabi-sabi concept of acceptance of transience and imperfection is the guiding thread of the created material. It was illustrated in a less literal and caricatural way in order to emphasise the beauty of the process.

The logo seeks purity. It is composed only by typography and does not use icon or illustration. The signature of the logo is given by replacing some letters with glyphs, bringing a mystical air to the identity. Two different fonts are used for each word: a sans-serif for open and a serif for vibes. The idea is to highlight the balance between cultural and natural, where the sans serif font, more straight and well finished, refers to the cultural; and the raw, unfinished serifed font refers to the natural. The two fonts work very well together and the transition between them is imperceptible. The logo is versatile and has four format variations.

The constructive grid for graphical application is composed by 6 columns and 2×1 of ratio between margin and gutter. This constructive mesh is as important for identity as the logo and the colour palette as it becomes apparent at various points in the design. In addition to the base mesh that is invisible, a quadric pattern was created with two types of subdivision (12×16 and 22×32).The visible orthogonal grid is distorted in punctual moments to bring the idea of imperfection and impermanence, essential pillars of identity.

Category: Art Direction / Editorial / Graphic Design
Location: São Paulo, Brazil / Atacama Desert, Chile
Client: Melissa
Creative Direction: Erika Palomino and Cassio Prates
Year: 2017

Graphic Material

The effectiveness of the graphic application is a consequence of the solid base built by the versatile logo, the typography duality and the practicality of the constructive mesh. All these elements are also present throughout the pieces, which allows a wide range of combinations while still retaining the unity of the collection’s visual identity.

Visual Merchandising

In the proposal for visual merchandising, again, the dialogue between natural and cultural is evident. All versions of VM use materials and elements from both universes. The idea is to work this contrast in an aesthetically pleasing way, strong and directly related to the graphic side of identity. The VM must be a three-dimensional representation of the graphical part beyond the spatial sense, encompassing also a sensorial sphere that is an important mark of Melissa (textures, smells, etc.).

Plastic Dreams

Plastic Dreams is a biannual publication run by Melissa as a complement of their collections. In Open Vibes, the magazine features a campaign shot in Atacama Desert, Chile, together with content around the open vibes / mindfullness / wabi-sabi theme.

Category: Art Direction
Location: São Paulo, Brazil / Atacama Desert, Chile
Client: Ellus
Creative Direction: Erika Palomino and Cassio Prates
Art Direction: Gabriel Finotti
Photography: Hick Duarte
Coordination: Rodolfo Beltrão
Styling: George Krakowiak
Make-up: Robert Estevão
Design Assistant: Timothé Gourdin
Collaborators:Alexia Von Igel, Ana Flavia, Ana Pinho, Ariel Bernardes, Bia Amaral, Bill Macintre, Bruno Rezende, Carlos Rosa, Edson Luciano, Fátima Sosa, Gael Sonkin, George Krakowiak, Giuliana Mesquita, Grazih Oliveira, Heloisa Muniz, Hick Duarte, Jake Falchi, Laura Artigas, Lucas Rehnman, Mangaba, Melissa Baseman, Naelson De Castro, Niege Borges, Otávio Almeida, Paula Borghi, Pedro Pinho, Priscila Paciello, Robert Estevão, Silvia Nascimento, Victor Afaro, Vivi Bacco, Vivian Whiteman and Wesley Teodoro
Year: 2017

Lookbook

A commercial led material intended to communicate the products of the collection to the clients and representatives.

Category: Art Direction
Location: São Paulo, Brazil
Creative Direction: Erika Palomino and Cassio Prates
Art Direction: Gabriel Finotti
Photography: Vivi Bacco
Coordination: Rodolfo Beltrão
Styling: George Krakowiak
Casting: Bill Macintyre
Make-up: Jake Falchi
Design Assistant: Timothé Gourdin
Year: 2017