H&M Afound - Kurppa Hosk

Afound

Kurppa Hosk helps launch the innovative retail platform and world-first concept, Afound, with a new brand identity.

Business design: Brand platforms & strategy
Design strategy
Digital & experience strategy
Communication strategy
Brand design: Brand development
Naming
Brand identity
Design systems
Concept development
Experience design: Digital product design
Packaging design
Environmental & retail design

Challenge

Retail is going through a paradigm shift that retailers must respond to in order to stand out. Afound has identified four main shifts in the retail landscape; a promotion driven consumer and market, a demand for curated and elevated shopping experience, access at all touchpoints and channels, and a need for retailers to stay up to date with evolving and constantly changing technological advancements.

Therefore, the new concept’s strategy and identity needed to be innovative and flexible for consumers.

Approach

The Afound project team partnered with Kurppa Hosk to develop a holistic omnichannel experience that echoes their innovative concept of a highly curated experience beyond seasons. Together with the Afound project team, Kurppa Hosk wanted to showcase a concept that celebrated the items on offer regardless if vintage or new, high or low tier.

Mattias Ekberg
— Creative Director
Afound

“Afound cares about both the value of the products and the mix. And by offering personal style inspiration, quality labels, and a great deal, Afound will offer a new off-price experience”

Outcome

In response, Kurppa Hosk developed a brand strategy and design, digital ecosystem, and retail experience that excites and resonates with shoppers, speaks to marketplace sellers and which works in tandem with a multitude of partner brands in both digital and physical stores. Both progressive and creative, the new design strategy follows an omnichannel-led experiential approach with a strong focus on the digital marketplace and social media. The website design showcases clever categorization for easy search & find, but also for discovering gems along the way.

Logotype

The Afound logotype, a distinct wordmark, is based on a custom typeface, acting as the strongest carrier of the brand. A framework for the dynamic and engaging logotype is created through the characteristic treatment of the elevated and underlined A, which is met at various touchpoints throughout the customer journey.

Typography

The typeface is handled with unexpected yet instantly recognizable treatments (e.g. bargain hunting); shoppers can intuitively and instantly recognize special offers, “do good” actions and more. Next to this, a customized set of convivial and tongue-in-cheek toolbox of symbols and elements are ever-present. Subsequently, producing a holistic and consistent experience with, relatively, few components.