Something Stoëmp specialises in, in-house, is strategy, making the research stage in a project not simply a way to gain visual inspiration for the identities they shape as a studio, but a more lengthy investigation into why a brand or organisation exists, what it wants to say and who it’s speaking to. Alongside its director of strategy Thomas De Vylder, this is the stage for Wojciech and Gaetano to establish a backbone for every design decision to follow: “It’s not about creating a moodboard or a temporary direction,” Thomas explains, “but about building a structure that can guide us over time, from naming and tone of voice to visual identity and communication.”
Once the agency gets the foundations clear for any project, only then can a visual system emerge that not only feels coherent but can evolve or adapt – it’s an all encompassing approach. “That’s what makes a branding system sustainable. If it’s rooted in something deeper than style. If it’s built on clarity, structure, and intent, it can evolve without losing itself. It ages well because it was never trying to be fashionable”, shares Thomas. This focus on strategy and bringing ideas back to their core is what underpins Stoëmp’s sleek, simple and pragmatic visual language. While their graphic style is not something that the pair ever “designed” to look a certain way, says Wojciech, a lean and minimal look quite naturally categorises their work.
“We grew up in the late 90s, surrounded by very strong visual cultures: skateboarding magazines like Transworld art directed by David Carson, publications like Radikal or Graff Bombz, videos like Writerz, films like Kids by Larry Clark,” Gaetano says. “It was an intense visual environment, raw and expressive, but also very direct. Over time, all of that got distilled. What I think remains at the studio today is the essence of those influences, stripped down, focused, and intentional.”