Karapincha receives ‘bold and sophisticated’ new brand identity

Designed by London-based creative agency Free The Birds, the Sri Lankan kitchen’s new brand identity and interior design sought to be aligned with expansion plans. The agency refreshed Karapincha’s logo design, created bespoke patterns which can be utilised across touchpoints and helped design its new Canary Wharf restaurant in east London.

With the creation of a Masterbrand called The Sri Lankan Sisters – a nod to twin sisters Vasanthini and Dharshini Perumal who founded Karapincha in 2018 – Free The Birds hoped to encapsulate all new ventures under one overall identity, making it easier to branch out.

A refreshed logo sees the brand name broken into syllables in an attempt to enhance brand recall and recognition. Two small circles, surrounded by bespoke patterns, appear at the end of two syllables which represent the two sisters.

Free The Birds’ aim was to generate a brand identity and wider narrative based around its two London kitchens at Spitalfields Market and Mercato Metropolitano. Utilising its tagline ‘The Flavour of Family’, the agency worked alongside interior designer Tola Ojuolape to create an interior design for its new Canary Wharf which is reminiscent of Sri Lankan family gatherings. This was achieved using bespoke creative signage to give the restaurant a playful and modern twist.

Nick Vaus, partner and creative director at Free The Birds, says, “As an agency, we’re all about showcasing beautiful thinking. To us, that includes designs that emotionally elevate you, have purpose, and are easily transferable across a brand’s many communications touchpoints. Drawing on the Sri Lankan cultural motif, the refreshed brand identity finds the perfect balance between heritage and contemporary design cues. As our first project in the restaurant space, we wanted to develop a brand that can be scaled-up and highlight The Sri Lankan Sisters’ entrepreneurial spirit.”