September Industry

AFOM won the job to design the brand identity, packaging design and shopfit for United Soul — a new retail venture for Peter Strain & Jayne Ellis (former owners of an established fashion house). The focus is to create well tailored clothing for both men and women between the ages of approximately 45 – 65 years.
Drawing inspiration from the name, a circular venn diagram marque representing both men and women ‘uniting’ was created to work in harmony with the simple understated logotype and circular theme of the packaging. This marque was embroidered on clothing, made into a light box inside the store, and took form as a bespoke painted pattern on oak floorboards.
The sexes are colour coded in black and white (a Yin/Yang reference) which clarifies the separation of men and women’s clothing. This colour coding is applied to the swingtags, stitched labels, carrier bags, changeroom doors, and shelf edging.

Peter and Jayne loved the warm interiors of historic tailors, yet were keen to avoid a heavy atmosphere and sought to strike a balance between old and new for the United Soul store. Timber cabinetry was designed for the shopfit, to give warmth and a sense of craftsmanship. Further referencing tailor traditions, a brass ruler was inset into the counter. For a contemporary edge, a Marcel Wanders ‘Skygarden’ light was incorporated for its monochromatic and stylistic contrast, its modern shell housing a traditionally decorated pattern inside. The custom painted floorboards play with the idea of classic chequerboard flooring but with a modern technique and feel.
AFOM collaborated with talented industrial designer Anthony Hamilton-Smith to create a bespoke interior sign which was suspended from a double height ceiling, meticulously made from hundreds of glass beads strung on wire which cluster together to read United Soul.

This card is formed by mounting two sheets of kraft board for extra rigidity, with text details foil stamped in black. The four sides sport a different color to hint at AFOM’s diversified work: red, blue, green, yellow, white and black – business on the front, party on the sides. After finding a bookbinding specialist in rural Victoria to painstakingly realise this idea, the cards were clamped together, the edges sanded, and hand spray painted one colour at a time, then each card was individually pried apart before repeating the process for each subsequent new colour.

Pixel Flix is a digital production and editing company, with most products tailored for online use. When Adrian Price, Pixel Flix founder, approach AFOM, he needed an identity which would stand out from his competitors — by requesting that it avoid any film related clichés. Adrian, a friendly and lively character, also wanted something that would capture his personality by not being too dry or corporate, yet which still retained a professional look.

With the various brightly coloured pieces of the dissected stencil font, in three stages you can follow the parts and see how they begin to make sense into the word ‘PIXELFLIX’. This concept visually explores the idea of the editing process, which begins with various confusing elements being rearranged and transformed into a comprehensible legible whole.
The business card is two sheets mounted for extra thickness with a debossed logo, whilst the letterhead is embossed — giving the stationery a tactile quality finish.

In 2009 Kim Kneipp approached AFOM to design the identity for ‘Frockerphiliac,’ a styling service with a personal touch. Kim had strong influences which she asked be reflected in the identity: particularly the 1920′s Art Deco movement, Japanese pleating, and 1940′s War tim practicality. Frockerphiliac has strong environmental values — seeking to reuse materials where possible and print/produce/invent in an environmentally sensitive way.

AFOM developed a bespoke typographic logo for Frockerphiliac, referencing 1920′s proportions whilst retaining a sense of modernity; and also an illustration inspired by iconic Russian artist Erte. Few pieces were designed to meet Frockerphiliac’s needs: a system of stickers, rubber stamps, postcards, folding techniques, red ribbon and various reused cards gave Kim a myriad of ways to use her identity in a resourceful way.