A sign that shapes character
Gvalt is a small family-owned clothing brand that creates functional everyday pieces with a focus on details, fit, and tailoring. The brand came to us with a request to update its visual identity. As the company grew, expanded to marketplaces, and reached a wider audience, its existing identity — including the graffiti-inspired logo — no longer reflected the product quality, the character of its customers, or the direction Gvalt wanted to develop. The main task was to create a unified brand image that reflects the sensuality, honesty, and maturity of the Gvalt hero while setting the visual direction for future growth. Signal (part of ONY) developed the strategy and brand platform for Gvalt, while the branding team created a new visual language — from the logo and brand style to a comprehensive brand guide and communication system.
During the strategic phase, Signal (part of ONY) conducted thorough research: they studied the audience, the context of men’s fashion, cultural codes, premium market analogs, and the brand’s current perception. Together with the founders, the team developed a new identity that better aligned with Gvalt’s values and ambitions. At the core of the strategy was the image of the modern urban romantic — a man in whom strength and sensitivity coexist naturally without conflict. A man who can be calm, attentive, and handsome, while remaining masculine. This image perfectly aligned with how the founders felt about the brand. It became the starting point for the visual system.
The graphic language of the brand was a direct continuation of the strategy. We retained the emotional essence of the Gvalt hero but translated it into the language of contemporary, mature fashion aesthetics. We moved away from the teenage rebellion and graffiti heritage but avoided excessive romanticization. Instead, we created a visual tone that was sensual, honest, and minimalist — fitting for a growing brand and reflecting its character. The work on the logo started with the old lettering. It was sharp and aggressive, but it contained valuable energy of movement. We retained this gesture, reworking it into something more sensual and conscious. In the early stages, we explored different handwriting directions: geometric, more cursive, and brushstroke-based styles. These attempts quickly showed limitations — some variations suppressed the emotion, while others became too rational. We found the balance between form and movement, between letter recognition and line fluidity, which defined the visual language of the new Gvalt.
A few sketches shown during one of the sessions demonstrated that the brand was better expressed through a series of handwritten forms, rather than a single fixed sign. This led us to the decision to use not one, but 12 variations of the logo. All of them are handwritten, manually created, without generative effects. Different versions appear on various media, as if someone had left their signature here and now. This system reflects the natural variability of handwriting and allows the logo to be flexibly applied across different platforms.
We reworked the character of the line, maintaining the hand movement but removing the aggression. The logo became softer, broader, and cleaner — the gesture no longer felt sharp and started to convey emotion. We made the color system as honest as possible: black and white from natural materials, light shades of paper and fabric with no tonal distortions. The typography is based on a neat single typeface to preserve austerity and visual clarity. The library of additional strokes became a separate tool to support the concept of the sign. In the photography style, we focused on minimal text or graphic intervention: the image remains the primary carrier of the hero’s character.
The new system made Gvalt cleaner and more mature while retaining its emotionality and humanity. The identity became more convenient for the team: minimalist typography, honest materials, and the new logo created a sense of sincerity and neat premium quality.
The updated style helps the brand communicate with a calm, confident voice that reflects its nature and is suited for scaling. The visual system has already been implemented in communication, digital channels, and packaging.
Today, Gvalt is transitioning from a small family project to a more mature, consistent fashion brand with a distinctive voice.
