Canadian Design
Ashton by LG2
For the rest of the world, Canada is synonymous with a few things – maple syrup; Celine Dion; wholesome, generally nice people; Neil Young; and when it comes to the realm of food, poutine (fries with cheese curds and gravy, for the uninitiated). Having opened back in 1969, Ashton is the oldest poutine chain in Canada. With 23 branches in...
Toundra by LG2
There’s always something intriguing about niche, singular companies, stores and brands. When I was growing up, I distinctly remember a shop that sold only various things made out of wicker, for instance. It both intrigued and baffled me then, before I understood the concept of a ‘front’, a la (or so rumour has it) the numerous shops that once lined...
Crumbl by Turner Duckworth
While we speak the same language, the cultural differences between us here in the UK and our pals in the US can feel vast. There’s pavement vs sidewalk, fringe vs bangs, ‘flavour’ vs ‘flavor’. There’s also biscuit and cookie – though where we draw the line between the two is another debate for another time. And seemingly at the forefront...
Ami Ami by Wedge
We’ve all, at some point in life, encountered a few “But Actuallys”: the kind of people who always know a little bit more than you, constantly correct you, diligently fact check in social situations. They’re perennially just that smidgen More Right than you: a heady combination of The Simpsons’ Comic Book Guy; the classic pedant (or pendant if you want...
Parkette by Kinoto
Cute, bright, and striking; there’s very little not to love about this identity for Parkette. Based in Hamilton, Canada, Parkette is billed as a boutique shop ‘dedicated to kids and the kids at heart’, selling crafts kits, clothes, accessories, books, homeware, toys, and ‘other treasures’. The name is taken from a term many locals in Hamilton use to describe a...
Francos de Montréal by LG2
Les Francos de Montréal is Canada’s premier festival of French language music and culture. Held annually in downtown Montréal, it is a fixture in both the social calendar and cultural life of the city, and the wider francophone world. This year’s edition of the festival has been given a sophisticated new look, courtesy of LG2, Canada’s largest independent creative agency...
Origen México by Blok
Origen México is a encyclopaedic collection of cultural reference points from Mexico, and an expression of love for its land and identity, edited by Ámbar Editores and Paola Gonzalez Vargas. Written in Spanish it covers things such as, Barro negro pottery; the black clay pottery of Oaxaca, Barrancas del Cobre; the six canyons in the Sierra Madre Occidental and individuals such...
Ascari by Blok Design
Ascari is an Italian restaurant which two locations, one on Queens Street East and another newly opened establishment on King St West. Toronto, Canada. It is named after the proprietor’s hero, Formula 1 legend, Alberto Ascari, (who was also known for his love of food). To reflect both the passion for good simple food and racing, design studio Blok developed an identity that brings together...
Center for the Study of Political Graphics by Blok
The Center for the Study of Political Graphics (CSPG) explores the enduring power and immediacy of the political poster in the fight against inequality, their capacity to acknowledge and bring to light the injustices and atrocities of the world, and through their archival, keep alive the stories, voices and controversies that they have come to represent. CSPG worked with Canadian...
Tale London by Two Times Elliott
Tale London creates photorealistic renderings for both interior design and architectural clients across a diverse range of projects, from the traditional and rich to the modern and simple. Their sensitivity to both exterior structure and interior materiality, as well as associated considerations and a stylistic breadth is expressed by Tale London’s visual identity, designed by Two Times Elliott, in the graphic...
Di Beppe by Glasfurd & Walker
Di Beppe is a casual Italian caffé and ristorante, located in Vancouver’s Gastown neighbourhood, “inspired by the Italian immigrant’s desire to share a piece of home while living abroad”. Di Beppe is said to honour the sense of deep pride and self-assured nature associated within Italian culture through a classic and authentic Italian dining experience and in the design of its graphic identity,...
Modern Recreation by Blok
Modern Recreation (ModRec) is an international coffee subscription service that offers its subscribers an ever-changing selection of the very best in micro-roast coffees sourced from around the world. ModRec takes pride in its positioning; the rejection of artifice, pretence and mass culture in favour of what it says is a realness, spontaneity and individuality. This attitude, and the unique character of...