“We want to be that brand that everyone talks about and people buy into because they connect with our purpose and our mission.”
W H A T W E D I D
–
Brand Strategy. Copywriting. Identity Design. Social Media.
Background
After twelve years of research and preparation, Mariam Tijani, founder of BIDHAAR embarked on what many thought was an impossible dream, creating London’s first permanent afro-urban concept store, in the heart of Peckham. Fast forward to today and Mariam’s store has welcomed, locals, artists, families, influencers and more. Bound by a shared love for African culture, and a want to help create a brand that echoes the essence of our diverse and awe inspiring culture, 478 had the pleasure of working with BIDHAAR to develop a voice for London’s newest postcode and home for everything Afro-urban.
“Bidhaar is London’s first afro-urban concept store, home to some of the most exciting and independent brands that are celebrating African culture, ethical fashion and the untold stories synonymous with numerous cultures and kingdoms within the continent.”
A brand story
Finding ones voice is hard to do without numerous conversations and that’s exactly how we started. With an aim to develop a flexible system and a suite of brand components from visual to written, identity and narrative 478 worked closely with each member of the team to understand their vision and desires for their brand. Helped by a series of workshops, their voice was found and formed the core pillars from which we developed their new identity and extended brand collateral.
“For us, it’s all about creating a brand that reflects the feeling we want our customers to get when they step into the store. BIDHAAR is an experience, a place where we have genuine conversations about music, art and society, not to mention the pieces we sell and the stories behind them.”
Mariam Tijani
The identity.
With an existing brand identity already developed our role was not to throw away what stood, but to finesse what existed and ensure we were developing a brand that truly reflects the voice and brand message we carefully crafted with the team. Inspired by a Ghanaian adinkra symbol, their motif and identity was formed, with the help of a typeface chosen to complement our unique design.
