Justified Studio play with the classic and the contemporary in their identity for Wax London

London by name and London by nature; British menswear brand Wax London have worked with London-based design agency Justified Studio for an overhaul of their identity. Subsequently, Justified Studio have cemented Wax London’s new narrative of ‘WAX FOR LONDON, BY LONDON”, with their aim to return British fashion production back to the United Kingdom in keeping with their dedicated efforts to a sustainable practice.

From the ground up, considering everything from brand strategy and identity design to social media campaigns and copywriting, Justified Studio were tasked with harmonising the tone of voice for a company that is both at the cutting edge of contemporary fashion design, as well as being rooted in British heritage. “This for us,” Creative Director of Justified Studio Josh Ogden explains, “communicated the Wax mission – elevated classic essentials with a modern twist,” celebrating the old and striding towards the new.

This was successfully accomplished typographically; using Beirut, an eye-catching and striking serif, as the primary typeface and wordmark. “Beirut for us was a perfect fit,” Ogden tells us, explaining that the innate “strong shapes and contrasts,” of the typeface gave the wordmark a contemporary edge alongside the “classic calligraphic principles,” that Beirut was crafted on. Beirut is also supported by two tertiary typefaces – two cuts of Millionaire, a decorative, delicate typeface that fully cements the historical inspiration of the brand, as well as Maison Neue for body copy. Together they balance the duality of Wax London and all it intends to express without feeling cumbersome or frivolous.

In order to stand out from the “sea of muted tones and pastels,” Ogden explains, found within contemporary fashion identities, “we wanted to create a sense of immediacy,” leading to the introduction of a bright orange into the brand. “This signature orange is a device to be used sparingly, but almost as directional wayfinding,” Ogden tells us, “guiding people from the streets, into the space.”

Justified Studio

Wax London