New Studio’s rebranding of The Brooklyn Circus emphasises its cultural heritage and commitment to the community

Since its founding in 2018, its four core members have been based in three different corners of the world – New York, Lisbon, and Athens. Operating remotely across different time zones and outside of an office setting was nothing new for them, and Rita Matos, one of the co-founders, was grateful for the ongoing work during a time of unprecedented stasis. “We were fortunate to have each other for mental support and to have amazing business partners who were initiating projects that kept us busy and our minds active,” she says. “2020 felt like the bitter end of an era and at the same time like a new beginning. [We witnessed] open dialogue and confrontation of injustice, active engagement to bring change, reconsideration of our goals in life, and a focus on love and mental health.”

A year on and the studio is as busy as ever. Among its recent work is a new branding project for menswear label The Brooklyn Circus (BKc). The brief was to reposition its offerings to reflect its transition from a clothing company to a forward-facing cultural platform. “The Brooklyn Circus, founded by Ouigi Theodore, is more than a clothing label, but [BKc’s branding] did not fully reflect that” says Rita. As a cultural institution that is home in Brooklyn and founded in 2006, Ouigi has been pushing and supporting his community since day one. In response to this, New Studio needed to “position the cultural content on the same level as the product” to show that “the product stories originate from the people and the culture and vice versa – one does not exist without the other.” It wanted to create a world that equally supported both.

“We initiated a pivot to more culturally relevant content, giving BKc a voice and a platform for dialogue,” explains Rita. “We rebranded all BKc touchpoints, launched its new online platform, and created a look and feel that is fresh, classic, positive, and sophisticated, with a focus on the people and the photography.” The result is a brand appearance that emphasises its cultural heritage, its commitment to the community, and its inextricable ties to art and design. Beautifully-shot, rich photographs sit alongside a refined, achromatic colour scheme as a nod to both the brand’s modern sensibilities, as well as its appreciation for storytelling and quality vintage aesthetics. As the introduction on the about page states: “Everything we make has a story, from the construction of our varsity jackets to the looms where our denim is woven, and we take these elements into consideration when we cultivate our brand. We are here to tell the story of style throughout American history and to emphasise the power of presentation.”

Reflecting on the project, fellow co-founder Axel Peemoeller says the rebranding of BKc corresponds with increasing expectations of brands. Amidst a climate of social revolution, the necessity for companies to stand by their purported values, and to support their customers has never been greater. “In today’s saturated world, brands are challenged to offer more than just good products. Brands can and should use their platforms to create and exchange meaningful content for their communities to stand out and stay relevant.”

Moving forward, New Studio’s flow of projects shows no signs of stopping anytime soon. As well as an upcoming annual magazine with Ouigi, which is still in the works, it has recently launched OBJECT by New Studio, a new outlet exploring a variety of physical objects that will be occasionally be released through its online shop. Head over now to see its first release – handmade limited edition candles moulded from laundry detergent bottles, created as a critique of society’s excessive plastic waste.