Which brand would you like to see open a restaurant?

Last week, designer stationery company Moleskine opened a café in Milan – so we asked designers what brand they would like to see open a food and drink space.

Daniela Nunzi Mihranian, creative director, Studio Minerva
Daniela Nunzi Mihranian, creative director, Studio Minerva

“It would have to be a Courvoisier Cognac Café in Paris. The interior would be inspired by the Paris golden age – sophisticated, luxurious and stylish. As the centre of fashion, culture and style in the 1880s, the café would be a celebration of the optimism, innovation and exuberance of the era. It would exhibit contemporary art, design and technology where their creators would frequent the bar. It would have the distinctive aroma of cigars, chocolate and coffee perfectly paired with a range of Courvoisier cognacs.”


Kate Marlow, creative partner, Here Design
Kate Marlow, creative partner, Here Design

“The Moleskine Café reminds me of my first brand extension brief, a project set at Somerset College Of Arts and Technology 17 years ago.

My idea was for Penguin Books to open a book café which would be a space to encourage the simple pleasures of a book, alongside a food and drink concept. Within this space I wanted to reinstate a brilliant idea that Allen Lane, founder at Penguin Books, had introduced to London in the 1930s – The Penguincubator. This was a vending machine dispensing classic literature for the same price of a packet of cigarettes.

The Penguin Book Café could still happen and Here Design, could realise that concept. It would be a satisfying way to bring unity to our portfolio of book design and brand design for cafes and restaurants.”


Paddy Carey, senior designer, Together Design
Paddy Carey, senior designer, Together Design

“As a new dad, visiting a café has taken on a whole new meaning. Gone are the days of it being a chance to sit back and watch the world go by, in favour of it being a pit stop to neck a cup of rocket fuel to see me through the morning. With this in mind I can’t think of a better brand to open a cafe than NASA. What better way to kick yourself out of your morning slumber than a double espresso in zero gravity? I can’t help thinking there could be trademarking issues with NASAcafé though.”


Paula Benson, partner, Form
Paula Benson, partner, Form

“Since launching filmandfurniture.com, I’ve become fixated with film set design and furniture in the movies. Film-themed cafés and restaurants already exist of course (such as the Wes Anderson designed restaurant in Milan’s Prada Foundation or Walter’s Coffee Roastery, a Breaking Bad themed coffee shop in Istanbul). But I’d love to see Warner Bros open a bar and lounge in homage to the bar of The Overlook Hotel in The Shining, or for Miramax to open a lavish dining room in honour of the The Cook, the Thief, His Wife & Her Lover (with a more palatable menu!). And if Sony Pictures made high tea available in the theme of Sofia Coppola’s Marie Antoinette, I’d visit tout suite.”


Michael Sheridan, founder, Sheridan & Co
Michael Sheridan, founder, Sheridan & Co

“I think Links of London. It has a strong brand identity based around traditional Great British values with just a hint of English eccentricity. We have worked hard with their new store design, most recently deployed in Toronto, Canada, to make the most of design and curation around what is always going to a considered process in terms of purchase. The depth of brand detail would stretch well into a quintessentially British beverage offer around coffee, tea and certainly a glass of fizz!”

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Comments
  • Daniel August 7, 2016 at 1:14 pm

    Durex.

  • Reuven G. Yativ August 7, 2016 at 2:04 pm

    I think it could turn out a cafe by Mercedes-Benz. With thier design and history, it seems like something very exciting.

  • Tristan Antoine August 7, 2016 at 11:17 pm

    Zara – Tapas bars

  • M Rodber August 8, 2016 at 11:29 am

    Vodafone so we can tell them what we think of them.

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