Taking traditional to breakfast. Or lunch. Or whenever, because bagels!

Concept: Malénka is a bagel shop with Polish origins that needed a bright visual narrative to give life to its brand while expressing a nod to its Slavic heritage. The goal of the project was to bring a fun personality to the shop and also highlight the food and culture in an authentic and compelling way. This would help Malénka separate itself from competitors, which are mostly large corporate chains.

Solution: Through visual and textual research I sourced the root of the branding from traditional Polish Wycinanki (paper cut outs), embroidery, and other handcrafts from various regions. The word malénka is an endearing term in Polish akin to ‘little one,’ a fitting name for an establishment where the main offering is well-loved and small. In order to enhance the playful nature of the brand I treated the print designs with a risograph effect, amplifying the colors and the brand in turn. The heavy weight of the wordmark is balanced with the lightness of a lighter slab serif for the subhead, aided as well with a classic geometric sans serif for body text. I incorporated dark triangles connected by a thin stroke for added structure, grounding the brand expression in certain applications and offering additional elements to the brand system.
The menu layout uses clean type with strong hierarchy to help users browse the content. Illustrated elements, special borders, and stitch-inspired display type help to highlight important sections. Branded tape and labels are used to help the small business create custom to-go packaging without driving up costs. Patterns which combine Polish elements with fun, unexpected bagel imagery, are used to create visual interest throughout the collateral system, without overusing the brand identity.