The Rabbit Box

Home of the letter

When Seattle restaurateur and tastemaker Robynne Hawthorne set out on her newest venture, her vision was to create a respite from modern-day life, inspired by Joseph Pinatamo’s book “The Rabbit Box.” Hidden in the heart of the iconic Pike Place market, it would be a storied destination to gather, escape, write, inspire, imbibe, and share. In doing so, it would celebrate our universal bonds of hope, optimism, courage, and love. Equal parts a place, a belief, and an invitation.

Roles:

Strategy
Positioning
Brand Development

Brand Articulation
Brand Narrative
Creative Direction
Art Direction
Identity Design
Design
Illustration
Collateral Design
Copywriting
Digital Experience
Signage Design

  
    Le Poste Restante
  
  Guided by deep intention and working in close partnership, we knew there was a critical message to be sent and received in this place of quiet, strong, resilient, defiant hope. We looked to Art Nouveau, antique books, and ephemera, and the dreamlike poetry of its namesake. We thought like filmmakers, lingered on simple things long forgotten, and came to understand the ultimate value of the Rabbit Box: a reminder that the ability to bring beauty to the world lives within us all, in each moment.

A Window to the World

Embracing turn-of-the-century Paris —its aesthetic, traditions, and rituals —we captured its essence through core elements, curation, and attention to detail alike. The result feels like it could’ve existed in the Belle Époque, a romantic reprieve from struggle and strife.

Drawn from gilded typography and artwork of hardbound books, the primary mark features ornate typography interlocking with illustrative elements to create whimsical nostalgia and the aura of a story to be discovered. The leaping rabbit and floral decorative elements allude to the transition from winter to spring and, more broadly, serve as a metaphor for courage in action. Accompanied by period-correct typefaces and color palette, the identity is at once magnificent and gentle, an opening to another time and sensibility.

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