NewsJun 18, 2021

Branding by Studio Millie signifies the move from NYC to LA for a Pastry Shop created by Michelin Star Chefs

Written by Caitlin Wharton RGD

Context

Dōmi (short for do-ray-mi) was created in New York by 2 Michelin star pastry chefs who wanted tocreate pastries that would remind them of their travels and childhood memories. They reached out to us for a refreshed brand identity in preparation for their move to sunny LA. We wanted to create a brand that was reminiscent of the cool tones and their roots in New York City yet balanced with the purple and orange sunsets of California. The goal was to make this brand feel at home no matter where it lands.

Methodology

The biggest challenge was making this brand feel 'complete'. During our kick-off discovery session, we found that the client liked things simple… Suuuper simple. Being a team that loves to think outside the box, we tried to find ways to insert little bits of fun into the brand. We knew we wanted to incorporate 'rays' of sunlight, so we explored variations of a sun and rays peeking out throughout the design. We knew we’d have the opportunity to build it out into a pattern so that the interior, packaging and branding could shine. We landed on a modern, minimalist approach to the brand that has some fun elements, but also represents the simplicity and beauty of their creations.

Result

Keeping their love for simplicity in mind — we paired a simple wordmark that was similar enough tonot scare off their devoted fans, and built out the overall visual identity with a colour palette, strong primary logo, with alternate options to spark interest, and a crisp bold typeface to build the full Dōmi picture. To top it all off, we created various patterns for use on packaging boxes, menus and beyond.

Caitlin Wharton RGD