Making New York fall in love with Irish design
Born from a passion for traditional craftsmanship and Irish heritage, furniture brand Orior was created in 1979 by couple Brian & Rosie McGuigan. Their uniqueness can be found in the touch of eccentricity they add to their timeless designs, creating contemporary living pieces that offer comfort for life. We worked closely with the family-run business to create a seamless brand experience from tone of voice, graphic identity, brand positioning, photography and art direction to the digital and physical spaces.
An important aspect of the art direction was to create an iconography that presented Orior as both designers and makers. More than just your average furniture brand, Orior aspires to build a strong community. To translate this visually we collaborated with photographer Alex Salinas who gave the brand an edgy aesthetic – showcasing the iconic pieces in real-life intimate scenes and capturing the fabrication process.
Exploring the idea of past and present we worked on an iconic logo with a bold typeface that featured very graphic lines paired with more classic, slightly tilted “O’s”.
We wanted to bring a tactile aspect to the website – creating a digital equivalent to the showroom. Because Orior prides itself in the relationship they build with their customers, we created this digital showroom as an incentive for prospects to discover the furniture and drive them to get in touch directly with the brand.
The ultimate goal of this project was to bring a small Irish family business to the big streets of New York with a strong new image. Orior is now the coolest kid on the block with a showroom in Tribeca that transpires its unique personality. As the press put it : “Meet Orior, the chicest furniture company you’ve never heard of.”
Ciaran McGuigan, the founders' son and new Creative Director of the brand, needed help transforming this small local production to a strong international brand. Our team attended a 2 day workshop in the family's Irish hometown where they were able to capture the essence of what gives Orior such a distinctive flair. In a market crowded by conventional brand identities, our aim was to help them reveal who they are and tell their story in a simplified way.