Michael C. Madsen

Visual identity for high-end menswear brand ISO. POETISM.

As TOBIAS BIRK NIELSEN was looking into new directions for the brand, they decided on using the pseudonym 'ISO. POETISM'. Along with this new direction, the brand wanted a revised visual identity. Taking inspiration in the original TBN identity, this new ISO. POETISM identity adds more graphic and decorative elements, in the form of graphic patches, two new logos; including a more playful alternative logo, as well as a generally heavier use of these new logos on the garments.

The identity includes:
– Logo
– Alt. Logo
– Neck labels
– Hang tag
– Lookbook design
– General guidelines for using visual elements

Webdesign for the online architectural/art gallery PLATFORM.

PLATFORM is an independant online gallery, exploring new archtectural statements through online exhibitions, events and projects.

Being based in Denmark, PLATFORM wanted to differentiate their visuality from the rest of the scandinavian architectural scene, by purposefully not using traditional scandinavian design traits such as pale earthy colors, strong focus on readability and heavily curated imagery. Instead we are using highly contrasting black/white and a single accent color – red. We purposefully stretch the width of the article paragraphs to be almost annoyingly wide, and let the artists have full control of the images used in the articles. It is an almost brutalistic approach to design, in a field where "beauty" and "aesthetics" are usually tied to a very specific ruleset.

Graphic artworks for high-end menswear brand ISO. POETISM.

SS20 collection graphic artworks:
Artworks for the Tobias Birk Nielsen SS20 collection. Titled "50/1000 COIL", the collection revolves around the never-ending machinery of the fashion industry. The enourmous amounts of stress, to deliver something new and exciting each season, and how this overwhelming amount of pressure locks newcomers to the industry inside this giant hamsterwheel, which seems impossible to break out of. All these feelings are merged into a single object: our Moebius band. A never-ending construction, looping in on itself.

SS21 collection graphic artworks:
"Titled INSTINCTS, our protagonist analyses what it means to go through their existence solely based on impulse and gut feeling. The collection aims to validate our choices that we make to prevail. Through simplicity, efficiency and functionally SS21 INSTINCTS grants individuals to no longer wander aimlessly, but rather move forward freely and instinctively."

Beer label artwork & design for craft brewery TO ØL.

CGI artwork and design for the beer 'World Wide Westcoast'.
Graphic artwork/design for the beer 'Rotation'.
Graphic artwork/design for the beer 'Tornadic Potential'.
Photos for the artwork for the beer 'To Øl City The Beer'.

Artwork & album design of 'SLOW STONE' by NIGHT REPAIR.

The artwork came to life, inspired by the bands ability to build solid beautiful musical structures from a fragmented creative process. They used vastly different ideas as building blocks, for then to mold it all into a singular object in the shape of a track.The artwork itself plays with logic and reality; with repeating mountains, elongated shadows and a far away horizon bathed in spotlight and strong shadows cast from the on-shore structure. A combination seemingly impossible.As with the atmospehere of the album, the artwork is a mixture of light playfulness and intricate eeriness.

The album is released digitally, and physically on CD.

Photographic campaign for the KAMO INTL. x ISO. POETISM sunglasses collaboration 'NANFEW'.

The pictures are made to focus on the unique characteristics of the sunglasses: the lightweight structure, and the glass/metal material contrast. Using heavy layering of matte textures in the styling, the lightweight shiny sunglasses stands out in contrast.

This artefact is part 2 in the cross-season project titled 'EGO THEORIES'.

Lookbook design for high-end menswear brand TOBIAS BIRK NIELSEN.

AW17 VIOLENT SITUATIONS lookbook, limited edition of 25 hand bound copies. The lookbook is designed to be an extension of the collection it contains. How the book is hand bound, using a unique hand-dyed textile, amplifies the crafted nature of the contained collection.

T-shirt artwork for music venue VOXHALL and craft brewery TO ØL.

The design is a semi abstract depiction of bad scenarios, related to both alcohol consumption and music listening; broken glass. Rowdy crowds breaking bottles, and music so laud that windows shatter. This negative idea, is turned around to something rather beautiful and tranquil. Jagged and irregular shapes, bathed in a smooth and soft blue-white gradient.

The t-shirts are given to all workers at Voxhall. They will later be sold to the general public, through To Øl's webshop.

Design, editing and hand binding of the photobook "Mays Winter", for photographer J.I.B.

Limited edition of 50 hand bound copies. 80 pages, centerfold, hand bound hardcover with tipped-in photos.

MAYS WINTER plays with grandeur and scale, by only showing extreme details of some images, while letting others be full landscapes. The sequencing of the images – the feel and flow of the book – is designed with this detail/grandeur contrast in mind. It flows through landscapes, details and very graphic, seemingly flat images. These contrasts are mixed and matched throughout the entire book, as to never make for a dull moment.

Webdesign for the beer/spirits/music festival "To Øl City Festival".

The visual identity of To Øl, is more so that of a graphic design playground, rather than a stringent and tight visual direction. This idea is reflected in the web design, by treating each individual page as it's own piece of design (within the given framework and art direction), rather than treating the website as one single piece of design.

This core idea led to the website having many different sizes of typography, a vast and changing color palette, as well as individual design quirks on the different pages.

A couple of examples:
The 'camping' page features an image which stretches the top row of pixels, almost-unnoticeably slowly all the way to the top of the page. The 'about' page uses a much larger font size, on top of a completely different layout to the rest of the website. The 'beer & beverages' page sports a completely inverted color scheme, as well as a background that changes color depending on the position of the curser.

Lookbook package design for high-end menswear brand ISO. POETISM.

This lookbook care package was designed as a tactile experience of the ISO. POETSIM SS21 collection, without the use of a physical showroom. Sent to buyers worldwide, paired with an online showroom showcasing detailed photos and videos of each garment, enabled buyers to experience the tactility of the fabrics, and the collection as a whole, without travelling to a physical showroom.

The package contains the physical SS21 lookbook, select fabric swatches, 'ISO. POETISM' branded USB silver necklace and tote-bag, as well as a complimentary eucalyptus twig.

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Lookbook photoshoots for high-end menswear brand ISO. POETISM.

SS21, AW21, SS22 & AW22 photoshoot and photo editing.
Concept development, art direction and execution of backgrounds.

Visual identity & webdesign for the musicvenue TAPE.

As TAPE opened its doors to their musicvenue in Aarhus, they were in need of a coherent visual identity, as well as a website. The purpose of the website, is to be a combination of an online overview of the concerts, as well as being a visual and audial taster of what's to come in the venue.

The website is constructed of interactive layers: an image, a list of concerts, an auto-playing music video playlist as well as a box of relevant information. Once the cursor interacts with a layer, this layer becomes the only layer which is 100% visible.

Campaign photoshoot.

Small portrait campaign, showcasing pieces from both danish jewelery brands: Vibe Harsløf & ID Fine Jewelery.

The campaign was shot in the confined space, of two rooms in a Copenhagen apartment.

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AW18 Lookbook, limited edition of 30 hand bound copies.

The lookbook is designed to be an extension of the collection it contains. The way the book is hand bound, using a unique hand-dyed textile, amplifies the crafted nature of the collection it contains. The heavy stitches down the left side, does not only mirror the color palette and heavy use of stitches in the collection, but also functions as the actual binding of the book.

CGI portraits.

This is not you highschool boyfriend.

Editorial photoshoot.

Portrait series, showcasing this headpiece collaboration. The design is a danish/italian collaboration between ISO. POETISM and AGE OF SIRIUS. The portraits aim at showing a heavy dose of attitude, while showcasing the unique copper-woven textile from which the headpiece is made of.

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Artistic video artwork made in collaboration with fashion designer & artist Adam Billy.

This video is an extension of Adam Billys fashion & art project titled CORPO;REALITY. The project focuses on the investigation of 'self', with an emphasis on the materiality of the human body. Using twisted silhouettes and bodily textures as the main tool, this video is the moving image counterpart, to the sculptures that make up the remainder of CORPO;REALITY.

CGI object design for high-end menswear brand ISO. POETISM.

Sculpted CGI Moebius band, designed & animated for the climactic ending to the ISO. POETISM SS20 fashion video. The Moebius band represents the many ongoing trepidatious trials you have to endure, if you want to succeed in the current landscape of the creative industry.