Cloaked, a NYC-based cocktail bar inspired by the classic tales of the Brother’s Grimm.

I love fairytales. I grew up watching Disney princess movies and reading Hans Christian Anderson stories. It was magical and made me into an avid reader, seeking out the next adventure in libraries and bookstores. It wasn't until I was older that I discovered the real Grimm fairytales. I never realized how dark, twisted, and raw they were and I was fascinated. I got a copy of the original Grimm tales for my birthday and read through familiar stories in a new light.

I was inspired by those fairytales to create an adult space where people can enjoy an atmosphere inspired by real and raw storytelling, bond as a community, and have a drink. "Tell us your story become a legend" became the tagline for this space to tie in the inspiration piece and how it feels to belong in a place.

Process:

One of my biggest challenges was coming up with the name for the bar. I wanted it to be directly inspired from one or many of the fairy tales but not a name that has been used for a cocktail bar already. My top names included Cloaked, Prophecy, The Woods, and Rampion. I ended up choosing Cloaked because it was unique, felt adult, was used in many tales notably Little Red Riding Hood, and had an air of mystery.

For the typeface, I wanted a variation on blackletter because of its strong association with Germany. I tried out a bunch of options but ended up choosing Prince Valiant. I wanted to customize the C so it could be used alone as a logo to identify the brand. I decided to put an easy identifiable cocktail tool hidden within the letter a nod to the business it represents.