“If Coco Chanel had a love a child with Alexander McQueen and Nirvana, that’s us”. Is this not the best one-line brief for creating a brand? Hèlmut, an emerging Auckland-based hair salon expressed this in our initial briefing for creating their brand and website.
As a salon they driven by individual style; inspired daily by art and culture, providing a truly bespoke approach, only employing senior stylists who provide clients with a crafted, one-to-one service from start to finish.
The identity reflects the kind of timeless beauty that Hèlmut is known for creating for their clients; the smallest details are never overlooked and the curvaceous flick of the grave, like a strand of hair, references this.
The brand imagery is both provocative and sophisticated, an illustration of how beauty may be discovered in different forms; challenging our perceptions, reframing our view points. Hèlmut’s aesthetic was designed to embody it’s brand attributes: timeless, elegant and assured. Both photography and typography are expressed via a simple black and white colour palette – a nod to the salon’s namesake, photographer Helmut Newton.
The unique experience delivered by Hèlmut was key to our creative approach in designing the website.
Recognising the different information new clients prefer compared to existing clientele, user journeys are offered from the homepage tailored to their needs. Client behaviour is recognised in the offering of options; new clients are introduced to Hèlmut and the experience they can expect on becoming a client, whilst existing clients are welcomed back – both are given the option to use a streamlined online booking system or to phone the salon directly for appointments.
This tailored approach is amplified further with a carefully considered responsive site, catering to peoples’ interaction on their selected device.
