Melia Tandiono balances the contemporary and classical in her authentic identity for Origin’s wines

In a wine industry dominated by obscurity and outdated experiences, Origin is dedicated to authenticity, storytelling and celebrating life well-lived. The wine company was created for a generation of wine drinkers that not only care deeply about what goes into each bottle, but also care much more about a table surrounded by good company.

Brooklyn-based freelance designer and art director Melia Tandiono was approached by Origin to bring energy and personality to their identity, packaging and overall aesthetic. With the company’s ethos in mind, she created a solution that balances contemporary and classical characteristics throughout its custom wordmark and typography. Juxtaposing grand settings with quirky props, the art direction is an embodiment of the customer and their sentiments while enjoying a bottle of Origin’s wine. Fun but refined – it doesn’t take itself too seriously. 

The custom wordmark was inspired by two sans serif typefaces – Optima and Lydian. “I wanted to create a wordmark that is understated, with traditional and contemporary characteristics woven in,” Tandiono tells us, beginning the process by drawing the letterforms simply before adjusting the weight for added nuance. “The end result is a sans serif that mimics the contrast of weight in a serif,” Tandiono adds “and the balance of those two worlds seems to fit with the overall brand ethos.”

Needing a versatile accompanying typeface, Tandiono opted for Bradford due to its potential to be both playful and serious. “There was also a need for a two type hierarchy within the brand – one for expressive headlines and another for utilitarian purposes,” she explains. For the latter, Bradford Mono proved to be the clear choice for Tandiono, stating, “I’ve always been drawn to using the same type family within a brand, so knowing that Bradford has a mono was also a plus.” 

Embodying Origin’s ethos – ‘historic wines made for modern times’ – the bottle labels capture a sense of place and history. The art was created in close collaboration with Austin-based artist RF Alvarez, whose usage of natural earth pigments appealed to the team. Sitting on label paper that mimics the texture of canvas, Alvarez’s art takes centre stage. “Storytelling is an important part of the brand,” Tandiono explains “and the founders were drawn to RF Alvarez’s work for his ability to do that through simple, abstract forms.”

Melia Tandiono

Origin