George C – Branding

Background

As one of the oldest and most established fashion retailers in Toronto, the George C name is renowned in the industry. Priding themselves on beautifully curated collections and even producing their own line of jewellery, they were founded on the philosophy of coveting design over brand. This appreciation of substance over style felt like the perfect fit with Fook.

We wanted to give them a visual identity that clearly conveyed these values, while portraying them as the truly influential fashion destination that they are. And importantly, this identity needed to appeal to new audiences, while feeling familiar and relatable to their existing loyal customer base.

Process

Distinguished by their careful curation and meticulous personal styling, their brand had to possess these same levels of consideration and thought. It also needed to boldly assert them as an authority on luxury fashion, while remaining invitational and accessible. George C are committed to a warm and welcoming shopping experience, and so the luxury connotations in their identity could not displace the deeply human side of their brand.

When creating the logo, we recognised that, as a company that has pioneered the Toronto fashion scene, the logo needed to do no more than represent their name. By doing this through a simple condensing of the name into a singular lettermark, the brand effortlessly carries itself with confidence and renown. It achieves a genuine sense of luxury by standing with clarity and meaning.

In the colours, there are three shades of brown in the palette. They instill a sense of calmness and tactility, while also referencing leather, a staple material in the George C collection. In this way, the colours carry inherent implications of quality and luxury. Likewise, we wanted the same implications in the brand’s typeface. Our ultimate choice, GT Walsheim, is friendly, legible, confident, and precise. Its simplicity is matched by its sophistication, reflecting the high calibre of George C products while maintaining approachability.

And so, at each stage of crafting this new identity, the philosophy and the experience associated with George C were constantly considered. The result of this work and these considerations is a brand that presents George C with the distinction that their reputation demands. It has also given them a new look that their clients love, and their beautiful new e-commerce store is making many new customers fall in love with them.