Elliott Bay Book Company Rebrand
Tool
Illustrator
Photoshop
Indesign
Adobe XD
Team
Yvonne Chan
Role
Branding Identity & Positioning
Layout Design
Web Design
Art Direction
Time
2019, 3 months
(Student Project)
Overview
The Elliott Bay Book Company is one of the few remaining independently owned, full-service bookstores in the Pacific Northwest. They are known for their curated books, events, the space they provided for the neighborhood to gather and explore, and their effort in supporting local writers and readers since founded in 1973.
Objective
Create a new identity system and a book of guidelines for Elliott Bay Book Co. that highlights the open possibilities of the bookstore, the mix of new and old, and their engagement with the local literary community.
Process
When we were researching the store, we discovered that what set Elliott Bay Book Co. apart is not merely its fine curation of books but also the engagement with the community, and the warm environment it provided for every book lover. It is a place where visitors feel empowered to explore and learn, knowing they could encounter unique perspectives that bring them to the happenings or guide them in the future. These discoveries directed us to the core concept for the design: open book, open possibilities.
After finding our guiding North Star, we visualized the ideas with a concept board that includes hand-touched illustrations, dimensional photography, and warm textures. Similar to the supportive and engaging characteristic of Elliott Bay Book Co., we were attracted to create interactions among design elements by layering patterns, ink lines, and circular shapes. We lead by the words and support through warm and friendly typography, faded photography, and tactile textures. These elements later are composed together to create the collaterals.
