After ___ years occupying a storefront on Brady Street, Dapper expanded their location to an 1800’s Victorian home in a highly visible location on Milwaukee’s East Side.

The home’s Victorian styling soon became synonymous with the Dapper brand and the new location proved to be a major advantage. Clients were traveling downtown for haircuts and making a day out of the trip, hitting up all the shopping and dining that the East Side has to offer.

There is a unique push and pull between the old and the new at Dapper & Co. The rich wood, arched doorways and the marble fireplace that adorns the waiting room are just a few unique characteristics of the home. Gold and copper accented light fixtures and mirror elements freshen up the space and add a modern twist. Barbers are dressed casually with leather aprons and an eclectic mix of jazzy music is pumped through the space all day.

The intention in altering the brand name came about after many conversations regarding the brand, the business and the people that Dapper serves.

The word “classic” was a sticking point for Autumn. Although she wanted to bring back the tradition of barbering, the word “classic” felt old, stuffy and outdated. After much deliberation, we realized that Dapper had become much more than a barbershop. Dapper & Co better represents all aspects of what they stand for. They consider their loyal clients just as much a part of the brand as the barbers themselves. The word “company” has becomes a big part of the brand ethos. Whether that refers to the people who visit the shop, the other local businesses that join Dapper on the east side, or the talented group of barbers employed there.

The new brand identity had to uniquely capture the historical influence of the space, the modern approach to barbering and the quirky, irreverent personalities of the barbers themselves.

The result is a combination of rich blues and reds complemented by art deco influenced badges and graphic elements. The idea is to modernize some of the more ornate decorative elements of the space in order to make the brand less traditional, and more forward. Floral swashes and flourishes taken from the architecture are simplified and reimagined into circular badges and graphic details. Symmetry and simplicity is king when it comes to typography and design elements.