Translating family tradition into elegant, gracious Italian dining

The team behind Calgary’s foremost Italian restaurant, Mercato, approached us to help envision a new restaurant in Crescent Heights. Grounded in the same traditions and values as Mercato, this new concept was to be contemporary, elegant, and stylish. Starting from scratch, we created a brand identity based around these shared values of family, quality, and tradition—all of which inspired the restaurant’s name, Sorella (Sister).

We came to this name after a comprehensive naming process which explored multiple concepts for the restaurant. The visual identity embraced the concept of Sorella as Mercato's younger, more expressive, stylish sibling, with the use of bold pattern, warm colours, and elegant gold signage.

BRAND IDENTITY

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For the logo, we referenced the typographic texture of Italy, specifically stenciled road signs, to root the identity in a sense of authenticity and tradition.

print

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The bold use of patterns within the brand references the exuberant, playful side of Italian design culture, recalling the tile in a Gio Ponti building or the bold patterns from a Prada scarf.

photography

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signage

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marketing

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website

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