SUM - FROM LONDON TO THE WORLD
To talk to us about your project, get in touch with newbusiness@sumdesign.co.uk
From its London offices, SUM. collaborates with its clients to develop, build, and grow their global brands. We have worked with international fashion and luxury brands including Jimmy Choo, La Perla, Âme diamond jewellery, and Victoria Beckham , as well as with London- centric brands such as Allsaints, Bloomsbury, Boujis, and Hackney Walk.
London has long been a hub for the world’s fashion and luxury industries, as well as for the specialisms of branding and design, and SUM. aims to harness the potential of each of these spheres in optimising the strategy and aesthetic for each of the brands that we work with.
SUM.’s location means that we are able to collaborate with world-class talent, be it with photographers, models, website developers, musicians, scent-designers, video animators, or copywriters, event organisers, and a host of other luxury and fashion specialists.
Being in London also enables us to offer a cosmopolitan and informed vantage point of the opportunities and approaches for each brand that we work with.
To highlight a distinct London aesthetic, here are SUM.’s case studies for Bloomsbury and Hackney Walk:
CASE STUDY: BLOOMSBURY LONDON
Bloomsbury is a store devoted to British heritage brands. Perhaps unsurprisingly, it is situated in the Bloomsbury area that is located in the West End of central London. The area is notable for its array of garden squares, literary connections, and numerous cultural and educational establishments.
SUM. was asked to create a brand identity that would highlight the brand’s heritage, rooted in the timeless values of quality, attention to detail, luxury bordering on opulence, and a dedication to a London-centric aesthetic. In this way the Bloomsbury brand spoke directly to the modern, culture-aware customer.
Our approach paid respect to the founding spirit of the store, and to its incredible craftsmanship, but also introduced a more future-facing outlook. SUM.’s approach also involved harnessing the rich heritage of the surrounding central-London area as a platform for future brand expansion.
CASE STUDY: HACKNEY WALK LONDON
Hackney Walk is a new outlet village in the heart of East London, showcasing heritage brands such as Aquascutum and Burberry.
First, SUM. determined the communications strategy for Hackney Walk, which worked not only to position and support main retail brand, but also all of the luxury and fashion brands that would sit within it.
We then created a brand identity and visual approach for the retail scheme. The challenge was to develop a differentiating message that embodied the brand’s values and personality, that felt consistent yet fresh.
The next stage was all about storytelling, and what better way to convey the experience than with film and photography. SUM.’s creative direction was true to the brand positioning and was shot entirely in black and white, as a homage to the many heritage-brands around which the Hackney Walk scheme is built.
TELL US ABOUT YOUR PROJECT
If you are looking for a branding agency to help build your international or London-based luxury or fashion brand, please feel free to get in touch.
You can reach us by emailing us at newbusiness@sumdesign.co.uk