A soft, vanguardist, blacklettered tequila
Not long time ago, the talented designer Daniel Gomez, from Band of Designers, invited me to collaborate on a project to create the new brand of a silver tequila addressed to the European sector from the perspective of good taste at its most classic and contemporary sense with a profound modern insight.
Leyenda del Zarco pays tribute to the history and prestige of the 100% agave tequila, besides from showing respect for those men who have struggled to continue with the “Revolution of Tequila” (Daniel Gomez, 2009).
Being the ideology which created this tequila so strong, the logo had to find a position worthy of its own, something that would stay away from certain dogmas that current design has with minimalist justifications, geometric synthesis, simplicity of line and impersonal neutral design.
Regardless of the invention of the gothic style in Europe and its different national interpretations, the fact that blackletters have fractured shapes turns out as convenient for the executer, besides providing personality and style. However, the request was not easy and comfortable, we had to create letters that would be perceived as such (with characteristic shapes from blackletters) and at the same time proposed a more contemporary and innovative vision.
The typographic relationship between blackletters and Mexico is close and inevitable since they were the first lead characters brought by the Spanish to the continent.
Variants dismissed because of missing consistency or legibility problems
Four main types of blackletter styles were analyzed: textura, fraktur, bâtarde and rotunda to later decide what type and amount of “fractures” could be adapted to the brand. The result of the analysis was focused on an irreverent mixture of styles but with the purpose to achieve the sought identity.
The junction of fractured shapes with generous curves create an agile and fresh environment; the sharp ends and the mannerist curves transmit fluidity and freedom; the presence of unrelated shapes to those of gothic tradition (such as the “q” in the word tequila) and the lower case numbers provide diversity and boldness to the logotype.
