FAO Schwarz Rebrand

Some of you may remember the magical experience that was walking into an FAO Schwarz toy store as a kid. It was the toy store of dreams with the giant teddy bear and toy soldiers to greet you as you walked in, massive talking trees in the middle of the store, and so many other interactive experiences. After sadly closing down in 2016, the store is under new ownership who wants to turn things around. Starting with the branding.FAO Schwarz hired the amazing studio, Mattson Creative, to tackle the rebranding, and the results, of course, are mind-blowing. The tag line, Return to Wonder, is a perfect summation of what this branding has done for the store (and me). Everything from the colors to the patterns reiterate the magical feeling you get when you walk into their stores. And the luxury colors and type are perfect for the generally pricier toy options that are sold there. But the fact that they are able to encapsulate the feelings and the experience you get when you walk into an FAO Schwarz is a win all in of itself.The main hero illustration is the work of Russ Gray, and you can see the animated version of it at fao.com.