Daryn Roongrawewan, a Berlin-based designer, is making waves in the world of branding with her unique approach to logo design. Instead of creating traditional logos, she crafts "ornamental icons" that are both detailed and ornate, reminiscent of old print. Her work is a feast for the eyes, showcasing expressive type and delicate visual systems that draw from vintage design languages and everyday observations. Roongrawewan's attention to detail is evident in her approach to branding, as she creates custom letterforms that are both soft and graceful, yet purposeful and firm. For example, her work for the flower shop Atelier Lin involved diving into Slavic alphabets to craft custom initials for the wordmark, incorporating "ornamental curves for softness and grace, but with purposely rigid edges, like carved metal, for firmness." The care cards for the florist also drew from the distinctive character of the Victorian era, including carpet bedding plans and monograms. The illustrations, inspired by 1920s children's books, showcase a nifty visual trick that turns a single letter into an ornamental icon. Roongrawewan's work for Padma, a Los Angeles art and design studio rooted in ecology, took a unique approach. Instead of constructing a logo, she went out into nature to find it, drawing from the shapes and gestures of the purple sugar magnolia snap pea. The final logo, paired with a customized wordmark that mimics the nodes of the plant's stem, is a testament to her belief that every mark should mean something. Roongrawewan's approach to design is deeply personal, drawing inspiration from the world around her and the things she keeps, even her tattoos. She believes that taking inspiration from recognizable sources "carries a warmth that people can feel even if they can’t explain it." Her work is a testament to the power of storytelling through design, creating visual forms that are both beautiful and meaningful.
