Built in the mid 17th century as a private fortress of the Potocki family, the partition of Poland in 1772 saw Ivano-Frankivsk (the Ukrainian city) passed to the Habsburg empire, after which, it became the property of the state authorities of the Austrian empire.
With a rich and dynamic history, Ivano-Frankivsk lacked the identity that could epitomize more than 300 years of a city — conquered, settled, and ruled by different nations and empires.
What do the Polish rulers, Austrian empire, and Soviet authorities all have in common?
Or, what similarities exist between Polish Nobleman Andrzej Potocki, founder of the city; Ivan Franko, rebel poet; and Oleksa Dovbush, the local Robin Hood?
Gustave Flaubert said that writing history is like drinking an ocean and pissing a cupful. This could also be said for designing a city’s visual identity.
Inspiration was taken from the design of the city’s main landmark and hall, Ratusha, and the picturesque embroidery of the traditional Ukrainian garment. The architectural fundaments of Ratusha, combined with the geometric entities of a single embroidery stitch, create the city’s new emblem.
The emblem’s diversity made for an excellent base from which to develop a symbolic language in the form of embroidery that tells the story of the city’s heritage and history.
Historical pattern (above) derived from the Stanislawow Fortress — the original construction that surrounded the city.
Ethno pattern representing the bartka, a local relic, to show IF’s bold ethnographic heritage.
Nature pattern capturing the breathtaking natural environment of IF.
Cultural pattern identifying the contemporary art and literature, vivid within the city.
T-shirt designs were created to evolve the identity. The three above show the style of the traditional shirt, a tagline that plays off the city’s initials to show local pride, and the bold face of a Cossack warrior.
The street name plates are based on the city heritage.
Branded merchandise has started to appear in gift shops.