In Bloom Branding & Identity

In Bloom, the long awaited third restaurant concept from Nick Rancone and Thomas Boemer - the duo behind Corner Table and Revival - opens this week in St. Paul's new food hall, Keg and Case. Named for the flourish of ingredients at peak season, the Twist Davis team tapped Ultra to develop their brand identity.

The brand development assignment was to create a logo that would feel classic and elegant, yet modern. Our inspiration point was the northern cuisine In Bloom would celebrate, and its reflection of the deep connection that Minnesotans have to the land – specifically to the seasonality of ingredients. But we were also struck by the immense focal point of the space – the 20-foot open-fire hearth upon which its dishes would be cooked. Ultimately, the logo reflects the organic nature of seasonally-focused dishes and the refined structures with the space – the hearth, marble slabs and iron details.

This duality of how the organic and structured design worked together within the logo inspired another pairing that works in concert together - that of flora and fauna. The deer with headdress is another brand asset to tell the In Bloom story. The deer anchors the logo, and represents the whole-animal method approach they use, but the antlers take on a different personality, reflecting the flourish and beauty of blooms, and vegetation in season.

To balance the flora and fauna, and convey the elegance of the dining experience, copper gradients are a stronghold of the visual language. With its long history in the culinary field, copper is a soft metal that is more natural than other materials, giving a soft patina with age. We used this for the script of "in bloom," giving it a refined look.The deer’s floral headdress was to have a maximalist effect, to the point of overwhelming the senses. We were influenced by Dutch Vanitas paintings which frequently feature vivid blooms, and ripe luscious fruits and vegetables to portray the fleeting and real nature of beauty and earthly delights. This was an apt metaphor for the restaurant concept, where ingredients are chosen at the height of their ripeness and beauty are transformed by the flame into a dish that delights the senses.