Bedow published images of the latest visual identity design work for Record Mania, a Swedish store described by the studio as one of the most prominent worldwide with a twenty square metre shop located at the centre of Södermalm, Stockholm. Record Meania releases hundreds of rare collectable vinyl records each week making it a new store each Friday. It is this idea that informed the direction of the store’s visual identity, which links assets such as bags, tote bags and t-shirts, stationery, business cards and packaging.

Bedow’s approach draws on the visual vernacular of vinyl and its collectors. This includes the artwork at the centre of each pressing, the hole for the spindle and the tone-arm of a record player. These are drawn out through a variety of monolinear monograms that reference — through form and colour — historic record labels, die cut detail across bags and business card, and the retrospective coloured paper choices of the stationery.

While the forms of the record player appear awkwardly yet distinctively and recognisably reshaped into an RM monogram it is the extent to which some of the label artwork has been successfully reduced down that gives this project its character. This is clearly for those who know their release history, infusing the treatment with a sense of exclusivity likely to work well for collectors and effectively leveraged across merchandise. The circular cuts to the bags, framing content as part of the monogram, is a nice touch and while perhaps not as effective across the business card and stationery ties it all together.

Together, these few details manage to convey change and variety, appropriate familiar industry cues but with a proprietary spin, hints at Record Mania’s extensive vintage catalogue with a contemporary reduction and binds a variety of collateral which includes bags, merchandise, packaging, patterns, staff clothing and stationery.

Design: Bedow. Opinion: Richard Baird.