Folio focus: Base

Base Brussels began as a collaboration of three friends – Thierry Brunfaut, Juliette Cavenaile and Dimitri Jeurissen, who had met whilst at La Cambre School of Visual Arts together. Shortly afterwards, the trio were joined by two other friends – Marc Panero in Barcelona and Geoff Cook in New York. One studio was set up in each city, and Base went international. Ensuring creative unity across the seas is the 10-point Base manifesto, which hangs on the wall of the studio in each city.

Its approach to branding is far from prescriptive, though, according to Brunfaut – who is now head of creation at Base Brussels. “A brand’s personality – how it behaves, talks and interacts – is as important as its identity. It makes sense! Think about all the people you know. The most interesting are those with a great personality, right? Brands are the same.”

The unusual ethos of fashion start-up Stanley & Stella provided part of its appeal to the studio. “We always try to find the unique in every assignment,” says Brunfaut. “Stanley & Stella was special in that it created an amazing concept.” However, the project was not without its challenges, namely the rapidly changing nature of the fashion industry. “It is critical that we take this impermanence into account. By being too formal, one risks the identity becoming quickly out of date.”