Art in the Brand System – Challenging and Beautiful (Toroot Case Study)

Toroot is a conceptual brand through which we demonstrate the conscious integration of art into a brand system. The name itself comes from the connection to – root, meaning a return to the essence.

The brand was created as a statement exploring what happens when art is no longer just a visual addition to a brand, but becomes its core principle.

BRAND CONCEPT: WELL-BEING IN FASHION

Every branding process begins with, among other things, defining values, goals, and positioning. In the case of Toroot, this positioning goes beyond the physical or market level.

Toroot can be described as a “red brand.”

Red is the dominant color of the entire brand and refers to the root chakra – the center of stability, safety, vitality, and authenticity. When balanced, it evokes a sense of confidence, grounding, and truthfulness within one’s own body.

As a fashion brand, however, Toroot does not work with color only symbolically. Red becomes a means of expression – a medium that the customer can wear. The brand invites grounding, conscious self-work, and deeper self-awareness.

The goal is not merely to sell a product, but to create a relationship – a genuine interest in the individual’s well-being and their experience of the world.

COLOR AT THE CORE OF THE BRAND

Color is a strategic element in Toroot. The foundation is red, complemented by navy blue.

Red activates and supports energy.

Blue balances and calms it.

Together, they form a harmonious system that responds to different individual needs – sometimes to boost energy and confidence, other times to soften and regulate it. The brand works with balance, not extremes.

ABSTRACT ART AS A CARRIER OF VALUES

Thick layers of paint, spontaneous abstract gestures, and their natural blending are an organic extension of the brand’s philosophy. They symbolize uniqueness and irreproducibility – just like each individual, these gestures could only emerge once, in a specific time and space.

Texture, depth, and expressive close-up details feel confident and unapologetic. Art here is not an illustration, but a carrier of emotions and values.

The abstract palette knife strokes in the brand colors were chosen deliberately. If art is to be part of a brand, it cannot be purely random or subjective. It must embody the brand concept – not the other way around.

The key emotions the visuals were meant to evoke were: strength, presence, authenticity, uniqueness, inner stability, safety, trust, and self-expression.

THE CONNECTION WITH DESIGN

Design is strict.

And when combined with art, it must be even stricter.

Art is organic and visually powerful, which is why it needs to be used consciously and in balance within the brand system. Functionality must be preserved under all circumstances.

The logo is therefore always vector-based to meet essential quality attributes: recognizability and memorability in a competitive landscape, scalability (from billboard to favicon), universality across online and offline applications, and uniqueness that captures the essence of the brand.

A significant part of the responsibility lies in the designer’s sensitivity. Especially when working with strong artistic elements, there is a risk of visual noise and overload. However, elements do not have to clash if they are used with restraint and a clear hierarchy.

The greatest challenge of art branding lies in a paradox: everything must be precisely thought through long before the brush touches the canvas – and yet the result always remains, to some extent, unpredictable. Because it is human.

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