everything we do and always have been, so during the third lockdown I had a moment when I was staring at my logo and I felt it no longer represented what we stand for as a business. I felt it didn’t have a big enough personality – somehow the block capitals felt anonymous and impersonal. It’s hard to put it into words, but I instinctively knew it was time for change and time to move forward. Owning this well-known brand and its legacy means I am constantly pushing forward, not only in aesthetics, but in products and processes. All change!
Time For Change With a complete brand refresh, Ellie Sanderson is set to face the future of bridal retail head-on – and in her own, inimitable style. Sarah Dawson reports
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llie Sanderson revealed the brand’s beautiful new look in October. Here, we chat with Ellie and Jonathan Harris, the Creative Director of Harrisment Design & Branding, who helped bring Ellie’s vision to life, about how the brand has evolved, and what the future holds for bridal retailers. What prompted the decision to re-brand Ellie Sanderson? ES: A number of things came into play. Firstly, I am hugely critical of
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Why did you feel now was the time for change? JH: Successful brands are constantly evolving; they never stand still. They are always relevant and connected to their customers, as well as the world around them. Sometimes change is responsive, in Ellie’s case it’s often to lead. Over the past few years, there have been a raft of changes to the world we live in – some due to the pandemic and Brexit, others longer in the making. This is a great moment to recognise and signal how well the Ellie Sanderson brand has responded to these challenges. What’s the idea behind the re-brand and new look? ES: I wanted to mark the start of the next chapter; Covid. 2020 was a tumultuous time for us all in this industry and things will never be the same again. They will be similar, but different, and I felt we needed to be, too. Similar but different; similar but better; similar but fresher. I worked for months with Harrisment Design & Branding and Jonathan really got under the skin of my business. He took time to listen to what was driving my desire for change; he spent time assessing my feelings about font, look, colours and more. The brand tool kit we now have is personal and far reaching and so many ideas have come from it!
