The Edit: five new projects including The Açai Collective by Darling Visual Communications

Each and every day, we're lucky to discover dozens of interesting and inspiring projects from around the world. From global identities and campaigns to side projects and independently published books, The Edit is home to five of them; every two weeks. From their shop in Singapore, The Açai Collective offers creamy fruit bowls made with a blended base of organic, sugar and additive-free organic açai berries. Commissioned to build their brand from the ground up, local design firm Darling Visual Communications sought to express the intense pleasure provided by a good serving of açai. Their resulting direction is loud, primarily due to the cobalt blue colour that engulfs every application of the brand. “The other açai brands in the market are presented in pastel, wholesome and soothing colours,” Darling’s Chin Yuanhong reveals, “so we wanted something strikingly different to stand out within the cluttered market.” Alongside the colour choice, striking halftone imagery flows throughout the identity system. “Initially, we were trying to use dots and circles (the shape of açai berries) to create secondary graphics; however, we subsequently applied the design language onto images to create a consistent tone,” Yuanhong explains. Together with understated sans serif typography, the various elements unite to form a multi-faceted identity that moves as one across printed materials and packaging. Conceptualised as a promotional project, Studio Hrastar’s identity for Monica Strinati aims to reflect the imaginary fashion designer’s handmade techniques and use of high-quality materials such as silk, cashmere and velvet. Founder of the Ljubljana-based studio, Tomaž Hrastar's, explains that he chose the sans serif Belleza for the logotype to add “a classy feel like the older fashion brand logos,” while the “nice sharp ends of the letters also add a bit of seriousness to the brand.” It’s accompanied by functional classic Aktiv Grotesk, creating a subtle contrast with the logotype’s thick and thin letterforms.