MOLLYDOOKER WINES

earlier in this semester i had to do a project for my package design class where we had to design labels for wine bottles. of course every design project begins with research, so i set about looking at different wineries and their label design. i saw many great labels, but one winery stood out to me. and that is Mollydooker from McLaren Vale, Australia. 

Mollydooker was started by Sarah and Sparky Marquis, a married couple with a history in winemaking. They started their winery in 1998, and have been creating fantastic wines (with fantastic labels) ever since. The name Mollydooker is actually Aussie-slang for "left handed."

first of all, i love their logo. the two-line version is a knockout, but it also translates well to a single-line logo (find the two different ones above). i really am attracted to their overall label design though; they have a sort of vintage feel with the torn edges, faded colors, and illustration styles. 

a unique thing about their packaging, too, is that they started the trend of adding little collectible peel-off tabs so that customers can find the same bottle again at the store. it also doubles as a reminder of what you drank when you cant really remember the next day... also a lot of their labels wrap around so that you are more likely to buy the wine because you have to pick up the bottle (proven research, folks). AND some of their labels fit together to make a complete image, and all of them are personal to the couple and their family.

i think my favorite label is the Velvet Glove, which is a label actually made of velvet, with silver foil pressed into it. it even comes in a black velvet bag with satin rope ties on it. explains the $75 pricetag!

im not exactly sure who designs their labels; i couldnt really find an answer for that. but take a look around the website (which is also beautifully designed) and look at more of their labels.

source: MOLLYDOOKER WINERY

PUBLIC PARKING: now a designed space?

i think most people have a similar idea about parking garages: bane of driving existence. 

sometimes we find ourselves zigging and zagging around these tall concrete megaliths, turning around enough times to make one dizzy. they are cramped, confusing, and competitive. and most of all, the signage can be quite confusing at times.

not so for Eureka Tower Carpark in Melbourne, Australia. the signs there have been designed with the driver in mind. and by driver, i mean the frustrated and confused person behind the wheel of a vehicle they just paid an arm and a leg to park. 

german graphic designer Axel Peemoeller developed some pretty sweet signage for this parking garage: its color-coded, eye-catching, and HUGE. pretty much idiot-proof. the only catch? you have to be at just the right place to read them. otherwise it just looks like a paint-roller went haywire in the place. 

its interesting that Peemoeller kept in mind that in a space such as a parking garage, everyone traveling through it will ultimately have the same exact perspectives at some point. he kept this in mind when creating his signage. 

Source: Axel Peemoeller