Identity / Print Design / Packaging
Stories is a new, independent café in Oakwood, near Leeds which boasts artisan coffee, cold-pressed juice and a locally sourced menu all served in a beautiful, Scandinavian-inspired space. The ethos behind Stories is borne out of their belief that everyone has a story to tell and theirs is centred around the close connections they have with their meticulously curated suppliers.
Stories came to us requiring a suitable brand identity through which it could express the commitment to its specialist suppliers while also reflecting the Nordic influences on its products and interior styling. We started by designing a contemporary logotype with customised characters that double as simplified representations of people; the staff, customers and suppliers who create the stories. The dots in these characters also create a link to the identifiable style of Scandinavian typography. The identity also includes feature typography that uses delicate lines to join selected dots – which indicate, for example, the journey of ingredients from original source to café.
We wanted to ensure the notion of ‘everything has a story to tell’ continued to filter through into the print collateral. This was achieved by researching unconventional paper stocks that each have a unique backstory as they are produced from by-products of citrus fruits, grapes, leather and brewers’ grain. These substrates then naturally informed a colour palette of cool, pastel tones which were applied interchangeably across the stationery, menus and promotional collateral.
We also designed ultra-minimal juice bottles which contain cold-pressed juices that are made on site. The bottles are printed simply using only white ink and prominently feature the list of ingredients to reinforce the fact that nothing extra is added.
Finally, we worked in collaboration with Duke Studios to produce a fitting wall menu and custom holders for the table menus. These were made from birch plywood to match other fixtures and fittings on the premises, while the aesthetic of dots and joining lines materialised again in the form of brass rivets and elastic cord that fastened the menu sheets in place.
Designed by Passport: Printed menus, wall menu, duplexed business cards, letterheads, story cards, lunch vouchers, opening night invitations, loyalty cards, canvas bags, juice bottles, stickers, takeaway cups & bags, stamp.
Credits
Interior photography by Helena Marie
Video production by Opal
Founded by Jonathan Finch and Rosalind Stoughton in 2012, Passport is an independent branding and design studio based in Leeds, UK. We collaborate with a wide variety of businesses and individuals both locally and internationally, providing services that include; branding, creative direction, print design, illustration, packaging, typography and web design. We create thoughtful and effective visual identities by gaining an in-depth understanding of your audience, and then using design to communicate to them in the most appropriate way. We deliver unique resolutions that are carefully crafted and well executed as a result of constant research and experimentation into unconventional materials and processes.
If you have a project that you’d like to work on together, no matter where you are in the world, just drop us an email to get things started.
check-in@wearepassport.com
+44 (0)7850 981901
Passport is an independent branding and design studio based in Leeds, UK. We partner with clients from around the world and across various industries; creating honest and impactful work that leaves a lasting impression.
check-in@wearepassport.com
+44 (0)7850 981901
Duke Studios
3 Sheaf Street
Leeds, LS10 1HD
United Kingdom
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