Golden
A fresh, unexpected identity that cuts through Melbourne’s crowded food scene.
Golden is a new café in the heart of Melbourne, built around quality coffee, simple favourites, and a love for honest, comforting food. The client approached me looking for a brand that felt contemporary yet approachable, something that could stand out in a city already saturated with cafés and strong visual identities. My idea was to elevate the everyday: capturing the warmth, energy and rhythm of Melbourne’s fast-paced lifestyle, and translating it into a brand world that feels familiar but distinctly its own.
- Art direction
- Branding
- Design
The custom logotype was crafted to give the brand its first unmistakable signature. Clean, confident letterforms paired with subtle quirks give Golden a friendly personality without losing refinement.
The colour palette expands on this idea of warm neutrals, soft gold tones and deeper accents creating a visual language that feels modern, calm and uplifting. Together, the type and colours set the tone for a brand that is both stylish and grounded in everyday ritual.
The silhouette “runners” sit at the heart of Golden’s visual world. While they draw inspiration from the fast pace of Melbourne’s streets, their real origin comes from the name itself: Golden is the kind of product so good you’d happily “run away with it”. That playful idea sparked a series of characters caught mid-motion, some sprinting, some strolling, all carrying the unmistakable Golden spirit.
These illustrations are paired with cheeky copy and bold headlines, creating a light-hearted narrative that adds personality and a memorable sense of humour to the brand.
Across packaging, signage, menus and digital touchpoints, the Golden identity is designed to be instantly recognisable. The bold use of colour, the custom type, and the rhythmic silhouettes work together to create a cohesive visual ecosystem that stands apart from typical café branding.
The goal was simple: create a presence that feels unmistakably Golden, from a distance, at a glance, or while someone passes by on a busy Melbourne street.
