Thumbs-up for Nails Inc brand

A new chain of branded nailcare boutiques, called Nails Inc, is being launched this week, designed by the service branding team at Design Bridge, with interiors by General Practice.

Nails Inc is the brainchild of a new partnership between former advertising planner MT Carney and journalist Thea Callan.

The first store, in London’s South Molton Street, will be followed by a second in Canary Wharf, with up to 25 more planned over the next two years.

The new London business venture aims to build a market for “instant” manicures and pedicures for the working population, and sells associated products. Customers don’t need to make an appointment and walk-in consultations are around 15 minutes long.

Design Bridge has created the brand identity, based on a hand, permutations of which are used for signage, packaging, displays and point-of-sale material. It also advised interior design group General Practice.

Design Bridge Service Branding creative director Stefan Bufler describes the retail concept as clean and modern without much Nineties minimalism. He says: “The whole concept comes to life through the application of the design.

“The devices can be used in a very flexible way. For example, the shopping bags use a closed hand, while the open signs have a hand with the fingers and nails stretched out.”

In-store product displays use hands with ascending and descending numbers of fingers and nails extended to create a symmetrical flow effect.