A brand for creators made by creators.
client
Abbey Road
services
Style Guide
Packaging
Lookbook
date
May 2024
Skew took the vision and the storytelling that we outlined in our meeting … and created something really special, with designs that are beyond anything that we could have imagined.
— Jeremy Huffelmann, General Manager at Abbey Road Studios
When you’re invited to visit Abbey Road Studios, there’s only one right answer: how soon can we come? To immerse ourselves in the start of this project, we were given the chance to peek behind the iconic doors that never open for the general public. All to get a glimpse of the most iconic recording studio in the world – the place that’s been home to ground-breaking music, creativity and innovation since 1931.
We stepped inside and studied the rooms that have been a creative home of everyone from Adele, Pink Floyd, Shirley Bassey, Kate Bush and Radiohead to Ed Sheeran, Kanye West, Little Simz, Dave, Ezra Collective, Lady Gaga and, of course…*pauses for dramatic effect* The Beatles.
That’s rock ‘n retail
Our clients at Abbey Road Studios have always worked to inspire and enable creativity, achieving the highest quality in music production by embracing and exploring tech innovation. To highlight their pioneering approach, they wanted us to create a style guide that would celebrate Abbey Road's heritage whilst telling the contemporary story of the studios.
Our goal? To shine a light on their innovative approach and inspire younger generations of creatives – from music artists to sound engineers, as well as drive global awareness. We needed to take the intangible assets of Abbey Road Studios and make them tangible for retail. So we got the old band (ok, our design team) back together, and hit the office.
Testing, testing.
First thing’s first – a whole lot of analysis, exploring and testing things out. We got to work on market research, spending weeks diving into trends and macro trends to find out what’s really relevant at the moment. Then, we immersed ourselves in the studio itself – taking inspiration from the rooms, instruments and technology that make it such a music Mecca.
Collection one: core.
This collection captures the essence of Abbey Road’s glorious past, vibrant present, and exciting future; an invitation to embrace the Studios’ spirit of innovation and artistry, and an homage to decades of legendary music. Opened in 1931, this historic site in St John’s Wood, NW8 London has been at the epicentre of creativity for 92 years, hosting iconic recordings by legends such as The Beatles, Pink Floyd, Oasis, Amy Winehouse, Sam Smith, Frank Ocean and many more. This collection of graphics evokes decades of musical genius through heritage logos spanning several eras, microphone and instrument collections, and - of course - the iconic crossing.
Collection two: Live. Dream. Create.
Rooted in Gen Z trends of self expression and collaging, we started to look outside those four walls to spark ideas for the second collection. If you’ve ever walked by Abbey Road Studios, you’ll know that the external walls are home to thousands of messages from people who come to visit the place that inspired the works of art which, in turn, inspired them. We wanted to celebrate the language of creativity – so began by stylistically referencing that graffiti for a more raw, real feel and combined that with hidden ‘easter eggs’ (the kind of niche, lesser known references that only dedicated, front-row sort of fans would get). To the kind of mavericks, dreamers and innovators who write their thoughts, hopes and dreams on those studio walls – this one’s for you.
Collection three: make it happen.
With this collection, we wanted to celebrate the visual identity of Abbey Road Studios – so began by examining the studio. Everything from the distinctive art deco styling and thrill of the red recording lights to the grand pianos and iconic zebra crossing became a source of inspiration. We wanted this to be a collection inspired by the creators, for the creators. It’s all about bringing together the visual iconography of the space with a more contemporary, lasting aesthetic that will appeal to creatives of all ages.
Collection four: Little Legends.
Dedicated to the creatives of tomorrow, this collection is born from the idea of Abbey Road Studios as a place that inspires, educates and sparks creativity. With loud patterns, bold colours and references to the digi-inspired trend, glitchcore, we wanted to create something that celebrated the sense of fun, freedom and spontaneous expression that comes with childhood. By drawing on the funny parallels between children and artists, we created a collection that brought out the fun behind the science of sound. Here’s to the next generation of musical pioneers.
Pitch-perfect packaging
When it came to the packaging, we wanted our labels to echo the shape of a vinyl cover and allow space for storytelling – as there are so many iconic, fascinating tales to tell about the studio. With the Abbey Road chevron as our starting point, we incorporated flashes of ‘recording light’ red to the monochrome palette until we hit the right note.
The sound of success
By drawing on several narrative threads, we weaved together a that is the story of modern music – from the pioneering equipment and unique recording spaces that have shaped the studio’s sound to the many legendary creators and innovators who have made Abbey Road their creative home.
The final result? Several unique creative treatments tailored to a range of customers and product categories, that celebrate the innovative, creative and iconic home of music making: Abbey Road Studios. What a gig.
Thank YOU for bringing Skew into our world. The team has been fantastic; they listened, they absorbed and understood our brand, were patient with our many u-turns, rethinks and ponderings, and above all helped us find what we didn’t know we were looking for. All done with good grace and a collaborative, supportive spirit, whilst always bringing inspiration. It was an absolute pleasure, and I look forward to the opportunity to collaborate again in the future.
— Jeremy Huffelmann, General Manager at Abbey Road Studios
