Sonja Frick unites Monsoon offer

Monsoon, the clothing and accessories retailer, is collaborating with design group Sonja Frick Design to create a retail concept that will tie together its four sub-brands and nine ranges under one identity for the first time.

The strategy has been developed over the past year and will provide a cohesive identity linking Monsoon Womenswear, Children, Men and Home across 117 stores, located in the UK and Ireland.

It is the first project of its kind to be undertaken by Monsoon and will help bolster a growth strategy that may see the retailer open more stores dedicated to selling sub-brands only, according to a spokeswoman for Monsoon.

Last year the retailer opened its first standalone Monsoon Men store (identity pictured) in London’s Covent Garden, branded by Sonja Frick Design (DW 21 October 2003).

Monsoon marketing director Graham Sim says, ‘It was a natural progression for Sonja to look at the Monsoon branding as a whole.’

The refreshed identity will run across shop facia, point-of-sale items, neck labels, swing tags, packaging and carrier bags for the Spring/Summer collection. It will also appear on Monsoon literature, with further development across packaging throughout the year.

Overall, the sub-brand identity has a more ‘vibrant, exotic look’ and features a new colour palette, language and range of artwork. The Womenswear and Children sub-brand features an orchid motif, while the Monsoon Men and Boy range is drawn with a floral pattern.

‘The Monsoon brand is growing at a significant rate. The key was to develop a branded identity that reflected the individuality of the brand itself, while giving a cohesive identity to each sub- brand,’ explains Sim.

Sonja Frick adds, ‘My challenge was to unify, yet differentiate the many sub-brands Monsoon has developed over time.’

Monsoon was one of the few retailers to buck the disappointing trend in Christmas trading, reporting same store sales 13 per cent higher over the Christmas and New Year period.