SUYEN:
LIFE STYLED
SUYEN:
LIFE STYLED
OVERVIEW
If "Suyen Salazar" rings a bell, it may be because you've seen her works on Instagram feeds of publications, it girls, celebrities, and brands everywhere. Suyen is a hairstylist, and Styled by Suyen is her brand—one that is more than just cutting and styling hair. It's a lifestyle of self-transformation that goes beyond the physical, all thanks to the more guided, careful, and thoughtful approach that encourages people to love their own hair because they understand it and they understand how to care for it.
WHAT WE DID
Brand Strategy
Brand Identity
Brand Illustrations
PROJECT TEAM
Creative Direction: Deane Miguel
Lead Strategy: Reena Mesias
Lead Design: Therese Luna
THE CHALLENGE
Hair is a huge part of our identities in more ways than one. It goes beyond just a visual representation. It is also a reflection of your culture and a new point of connection. When considering the launch of Suyen's rebrand, we had a bigger ambition: to be more than just another haircare brand that lets people "look and feel good." Together with the client, we believe that haircare shouldn't just end there. So we helped express Suyen's distinctive approach by shifting the conversation from hair outcomes to hair journeys.
THE SOLUTION
By highlighting responsibility, diversity, and wellness, we anchored the brand in a position of approachable aspiration. Our goal was for people to go to Suyen for more than just great hair. We wanted to show that great hair is only achievable when it's guided.
We rooted the brand's visual sensibilities to the hairstylist herself, using elements that are reflective of a carefree yet cool attitude. We took cues from LA's coastal style, NYC's unpredictability, and PH's sociability—all three were instrumental in Suyen's career growth and her personality as a person.
Being a personality herself, Suyen deserved a logo that's simple, sharp, and ownable so we set on a logotype and a monogram.
We wanted to exude a sense of confidence and elegance through a logotype that is strong yet sleek, bold with the letters yet soft with the rounded movement that flows through the whole logo. The distinct curve on the "e" and "n" is also symbolic of flowing hair.
Taking the S from her name, we also built a monogram that creates an illusion of two stacked S's that stand for Suyen Salazar. This shorthand logo acts as a seal and adds a touch of legitimacy to Suyen.
The color palette is mature yet optimistic, using a cool shade of sage as the primary color, with two other secondary shades of greens that Suyen can own. The tertiary colors of blue, tan, pink, and terracotta add a sense of playfulness and warmth to the brand and help keep everything balanced.
The typesetting takes the professionalism and polished look found in classic serifs, but implementing a warmer and friendlier tone because of the height and round serifs. This is balanced with a simple sans serif meant for clean and easy-to-read footnotes.
The system builds on elements that make an otherwise minimalist brand more vibrant and fun, because being able to balance credibility and approachability is key to Suyen's brand.
Organic lines and shapes reminiscent of hair are used as the brand's key visuals. These were designed to root back to the overall flowy and cool creative direction. The brush strokes also tie back to Suyen's signature dry cuts while visually adding depth, especially when paired with the natural elements as well as the subtle textures.
Illustrations that represent the different people and lifestyles that she is able to cater to conveys inclusivity. But more than that, these allow her to visually showcase the range of her styling techniques and skills.
In keeping with the brand's strategy to be the good and guided haircare, we designed collaterals that are unintimidating and simple. These are especially important being that as of the moment, they are the only tangible touchpoints.
These prescription forms are handed to guests before their appointments and help make the customer's experience holistic, engaging, and seamless. It starts with an intro, making its way to the customer profile. Icons help customers visualize their hair, and a checklist of the customers' routines help make it easy for them to fill out the concerns they want to address.
At every appointment, Suyen gives each customer a customized pocket-sized care guide that they can take home so they themselves can properly care for their hair according to Suyen's assessment.
