Imari
context
Imari is an upscale Japanese restaurant in Brentwood, CA centered around washoku, a highly traditional style of Japanese cuisine rooted in restraint, craftsmanship, and attention to detail. As a new 28-seat concept led by chefs David Schlosser and Derek Wilcox, Imari needed a sophisticated brand identity that could introduce the new restaurant while reflecting the delicious and understated elegance of its culinary experience.
art direction | logo & brand identity design | design OOH advertising | digital & social content | viz ID
Featured in: Eater, LA Weekly, TimeOut LA
the ask
Imari needed a complete brand foundation to support its launch and establish a distinctive presence within the Los Angeles dining scene. The identity needed to communicate the restaurant’s minimalist, refined approach to Japanese cuisine while remaining approachable and recognizable across a range of promotional and advertising formats, from digital and social media to physical community outreach. The launch also required a cohesive system that could scale across everything from paid advertising and promotional graphics to large-format OOH signage, billboards, and direct-mail pieces.
the solution
I developed Imari’s logo, visual identity, and brand style guide, centering the identity around the Japanese ensō (円相)—an open, unfinished circle traditionally created with a single brushstroke and associated with personal growth, imperfection, and the idea that life is an ongoing journey. The concept provided a meaningful visual connection to Japanese culture while reinforcing Imari’s philosophy of restraint, craft, and continual evolution. I extended the identity across digital advertising, social media, promotional graphics, OOH signage and billboards, and community mailers, creating a refined and flexible brand system that introduced Imari with the same sense of precision, simplicity, and intentionality found in the restaurant itself.
