van Deurs

Brand strategy
Brand identity
Logotype design
Brand implementation
Packaging design
Exhibition concept

The van Deurs fashion brand was founded in Sweden in 2006. At the start, there was a disparity between the luxurious quality of the products and the existing mediocre visual communication.

Convinced of the brand’s potential, Ohlsonsmith accepted the challenge to rebrand van Deurs and develop a complete identity programme and communication package.

The signature of the van Deurs brand is pleated garments and accessories. We wanted to focus on materiality, and decided to adapt the pleats and the tactility of the fabric itself as the central element of the new branding.

The pleated swing tag was one of the ideas we had quite early. We also turned a press kit into a parcel neatly wrapped in pleated paper. And in a continual extension on the theme, we used simulated creases and angular lines of type in the autumn/winter 2007 lookbook to reinforce the tactile quality. Working closely with van Deurs' founder Susanne Beskow, we realigned the brand to focus on the actual touch and feel of the products. The new branding helped open doors for van Deurs in the fashion industry, both in Sweden and internationally.

As an added bonus, the brand identity we created for van Deurs was featured in the book Graphic Design for Fashion, published by Laurence King. The book showcases the creative processes of the world's leading design studios, including among others, Aboud Creative for Paul Smith, Paul Boudens for Yohji Yamamoto, Acne Creative Departments for Acne Studios.