The Flat File - Rita Red Hook
We work closely with our clients to develop their identity and voice, ultimately informing how they engage with the world. Our design process is iterative; a wholly rewarding endeavor in which the client (and we) can tAKE a thoughtful look at what their company is looking to accomplish. Presentational elements —moodboards, copy, and logo/mark iterations — are crucial in defining the brand and an integral part of the mechanism by which we build something beautiful, unique and effective.
The Flat File is dedicated to the process.
When Chef Mary Ellen Amato (of Court Street Grocers, Saltie, and High Vibrational Beauty: Recipes & Rituals for Self Care) decided to open her own all day cafe in Red Hook, Brooklyn, we were on board to help in any way we could! From initial concepting and moodboarding, refining the name and concept and then pulling in the assistance and teamwork of what felt like the whole neighborhood - we loved being a part of the Rita Red Hook family.
We pulled references from Mary’s travels in Spain (the Gilda), her Italian American heritage, the locale of Brooklyn, and the feminine energy (Rita Hayworth) that would flow through all aspects of the team and approach. Vibrant, natural plants that would fill the space and plates.
We explored a variety of typographic treatments for the logo; from handdrawn and loose to structured and formal. In the end we decided to pull more directly from the script of the Gilda movie type, creating a custom mark built on the backbone of the calligraphic script. Plus, a little tweak to the top curve of the “t” to mimic the “dancer” of the Gilda tapas from Spain. The end logo is a wink to the food, and a wink to Rita Hayworth, the namesake of the space. To hear Mary talk more about the history and meaning of Rita, read THIS INTERVIEW.
