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ALL ONE approached us with a vision for their clothing brand based in Athens, seeking a logo and designs that capture the essence of the city. As we delved into the project, we aimed to represent Athens and its modern Greek philosophy through our design choices.
For the logo, we made a deliberate decision to use Arial, probably the most famous and democratic font out there, that is known to be a rip off of Helvetica, Times New Roman and Tahoma. This selection reflects the nature of Greek society, particularly in the face of the financial crisis over the past 15 years. When faced with a lack of resources or affordability, the Greek mentality encourages individuals to create their own or find cost-effective alternatives. The choice of Arial embodies this spirit, aligning with the ethos of the brand.
To further capture the essence of Athens, we played with the kerning between the letters, creating a sense of closeness and density. This representation symbolises the concrete buildings that dominate the cityscape, leaving almost no room for open spaces or parks. While this development has changed the face of Athens, it has also given the city its distinct, chaotic-urban character.
Moving on to the first collection, our goal was to create designs that exuded the spirit of Athens and urban culture. We explored various possibilities and settled on graffiti lettering as a fitting choice. However, we wanted to add a unique twist to the design. Through our research, we uncovered a hidden gem that represents Athens in an inconspicuous manner—the local phone call code, 210. This number is ubiquitous in the streets of Athens, spoken daily when exchanging phone numbers or making calls within the greater Athens area. Embracing this subtle symbol, we incorporated a graffiti-style tag of "210" as the centrepiece of the first clothing collection.
As we progressed to subsequent collections, we delved into addressing significant social phenomena such as racism, homophobia, capitalism, solidarity, police brutality and many others.
Our designs aimed to provoke thought, spark conversations, and raise awareness about these important issues, emphasising the brand's commitment to social consciousness and activism.
Throughout this creative journey, our goal has been to authentically represent Athens and its cultural context while infusing each design with meaning and purpose.
Design & Art Direction : Loonatiks Design Crew
Photography: Kostas Gikas
Models: That Smell, Constantine Dobrovolsky, Maria Karagianni
