Philippe Dionne Bussières’ identity for Vilain Radis channels the vibrancy of the brand’s founders

Berlin-based graphic designer Philippe Dionne Bussières has developed a confident and companionable identity for Montreal’s Vilain Radis – literally translated to ‘Naughty Radish’ – who have launched as a fresh take on at-home dining and delivery.

Fundamentally as daft as it is earnest, Dionne Bussières used the friendship between Vilain Radis’ two founders as a starting point for the identity; enlivening the brand’s printed and digital spaces with a vibrant, punchy and honest tone. Finding inspiration in retro clip-art books, the resulting collage aesthetic and illustrative elements aim to visually embody the notion behind Vilain Radis’ home chef concept. “The illustrations, except for the radish itself that was specifically drawn for this, are directly taken from old clip art books I bought,” Dionne Bussières tells us. “On one hand, it’s a pragmatic solution to limited production means,” he explains, “on the other hand, it’s a very interesting and organic process to work with these charming illustrations.”

Providing the undercurrent for the unconventional graphic compositions to dance upon is the stark yet playful pairing of typefaces; with Dionne Bussières opting for Neue Haas Unica and Gramercy Eight alongside the hand-rendered wordmark. “Neue Haas Unica was chosen for its plainness to anchor and balance the rest of the identity that is very open and full of movement,” Dionne Bussières explains, “whilst Gramercy Eight is used punctually for its full-on bistro vibe,” once again making striking historical references in the wake of contemporary composition.

Contrarily, the brand’s colour palette energetically lays its claim within modernity, opting to simply utilise vivid spot colours throughout. “We wanted to shake up the traditional white-tablecloth-home-chef cliché,” he concludes, “and go with a palette that is bright to inject some youth and character that truly reflects the founders’ personalities.”

Philippe Dionne Bussières

Vilain Radis