Alex Ostroff
Creative Director · Founder
19 articles · Jan 2022 — Apr 2026
Quotes
“Early explorations touched familiar territory for the category, with names rooted in care, comfort, home and play.”
“We tested it early across signage, packaging and digital contexts to ensure it felt confident at scale, legible from a distance, and flexible in motion.”
“The West Village is defined less by landmarks and more by participation – people showing up, being creative, supporting local businesses and sharing public space.”
“Slightly irregular curves, generous weight and a sense of pressure in the shapes give the wordmark a tactile quality. It feels human, lived-in and expressive.”
“The typography and layouts are intentionally a little off-balance, with shifts in scale and alignment that echo the way the streets move and intersect.”
“Dating apps often over-index on softness or friendliness, which can end up feeling vague or noncommittal.”
“It needed presence. CERCA is direct about what it is and who it is for, and the logo reflects that self-assurance without feeling cold or corporate.”
“We liked the notion that meaning lives in the space between things. Connection is not instant or crowded. It is formed through distance, pause, and intention.”
“The goal was not to shout. It was to feel unmistakable.”
“We found that most dating brands rely on softness or irony to feel approachable, Cerca didn’t need any of that.”
Articles & interviews
- Saint-Urbain rebrands Digs Dog Care with hospitality-style system
The Brand Identity · Apr 6, 2026
Saint-Urbain rebranded Digs Dog Care, formerly Better Than Home, into a hospitality-inspired national brand system. The rebrand unifies diverse local operators under a cohesive identity featuring a custom abstract dog icon, bold color palette, and modular shape system. The design balances professionalism and warmth, supporting scalability across packaging, signage, and digital platforms.
Saint-UrbainDigs Dog Carebranding - Saint-Urbain frames the West Village as something you do, not visit
The Brand Identity · Mar 24, 2026
Saint-Urbain developed a conceptual brand identity for the West Village Partnership, reimagining the neighbourhood as an active verb rather than a static place. Drawing from local typography, community participation, and the area’s irregular geometry, the identity uses tactile type, vibrant colours, and documentary photography to reflect the spirit of collective life. The project spans strategy, design, copywriting, motion, and 3D concepts, positioning the West Village as a living, participatory environment.
Saint-UrbainWest Village Partnershipbranding - Saint-Urbain makes CERCA unmistakable in the crowded dating category
The Brand Identity · Mar 9, 2026
Saint-Urbain rebranded the dating app CERCA to stand out in a saturated market by emphasizing trust, clarity, and human connection. The identity combines bold sans serif typography with loose line-drawn illustrations and a restrained black-and-white palette. The result positions CERCA as a confident yet approachable brand that reflects the authenticity of real-world connections.
Saint-UrbainCERCAbranding - Saint Urbain’s identity for dating app Cerca makes courting cool and casual
It's Nice That · Mar 2, 2026
Saint Urbain created a playful and human brand identity for the new dating app Cerca, emphasizing closeness and emotional warmth through animation, illustration, and photography. The identity balances boldness and relatability, using nostalgic and humorous visuals to make dating feel approachable and fun. The project reflects a modern yet sentimental take on digital connection.
- Saint-Urbain rebrands CERCA, the dating app built on mutuals rather than strangers
Creative Boom · Feb 25, 2026
Creative Boom reports on Saint-Urbain’s rebrand for CERCA, a dating app that connects people through mutual friends rather than strangers. The New York studio created a confident black-and-white identity balanced by loose illustrations and candid photography, positioning CERCA as a more intentional and human alternative in the dating app space.
Saint-UrbainCERCAbranding - Yoshi by Saint-Urbain
BP&O · Jan 8, 2026
BP&O features Saint-Urbain’s brand identity for Yoshi, the first premium matcha liqueur. The project blends ritual and nightlife influences through hand-drawn typography, a swirl motif inspired by the matcha whisk, and a bold green packaging system. Writer Emily Gosling praises the design as a standout example of contemporary branding that feels both fresh and timeless.
- Saint-Urbain creates the identity for the first premium matcha liqueur
The Brand Identity · Dec 19, 2025
Saint-Urbain developed the full brand identity for Yoshi, the first premium matcha liqueur, blending Japanese tea ceremony traditions with contemporary nightlife culture. The project includes strategy, packaging, motion, and copywriting, featuring a hand-drawn wordmark, spiral symbol, and modern typographic system. The design balances ritual and energy, positioning Yoshi as a new category in the spirits market.
Saint-UrbainYoshibranding - Saint-Urbain bakes mid-century kitchen nostalgia into Novak Djokovic–backed snack brand
Creative Boom · Dec 9, 2025
Saint-Urbain created the brand identity for Cob, a new sorghum-based snack brand backed by Jessica Davidoff and Novak Djokovic. The design draws inspiration from 1970s kitchen culture, combining nostalgic warmth with modern clarity. The project includes naming, strategy, packaging, and a joyful visual system that reimagines clean eating with optimism and personality.
Saint-UrbainCob Foodsbranding - "Saint-Urbain Designs Fresh, Playful Brand for Butt Wellness"
The Brand Identity · Oct 28, 2025
Saint-Urbain developed the brand identity for Beam, a butt wellness brand aiming to destigmatize rectal health through a balance of playfulness and credibility. The identity uses rounded typography, a warm green and cream palette, and inclusive photography to create a welcoming, unembarrassed tone. Collaborations with illustrators, animators, and photographers helped extend the brand across packaging, motion, and digital applications.
Saint-UrbainBeambranding - Saint-Urbain Rebrands 'Butt Wellness' Brand Beam, Sheds Light on Taboo Topic
Creative Boom · Oct 20, 2025
Creative Boom reports on Saint-Urbain’s bold rebrand for Beam, a new personal care brand focused on 'butt wellness'. The Brooklyn studio created a playful, inclusive identity that replaces embarrassment with pride, using warm colors, friendly typography, and light-inspired visuals. The project aims to destigmatize a taboo wellness topic through confident design and messaging.
Saint-UrbainBeambranding - Saint-Urbain Revitalizes Massi's Deli with Childhood-Inspired Rebrand
The Brand Identity · Sep 2, 2025
Saint-Urbain rebranded Massi’s, an Italian deli in Astoria, Queens, drawing inspiration from founder Alex Ostroff’s childhood memories of Italian restaurants. The identity features hand-drawn illustrations based on the Scopa card game, a nostalgic color palette, and custom typography that blends Italian and American deli traditions. The result is a warm, culturally resonant brand that connects emotionally with the community.
Saint-UrbainMassi’sbranding - Saint-Urbain Redefines Now Now Hotel as a Gateway for Solo Travelers
The Brand Identity · Jun 12, 2025
Saint-Urbain developed the brand identity for Now Now, a pod hotel in Lower Manhattan designed for solo travellers seeking exploration. The identity centers on ideas of transition, presence, and connection, expressed through a modular wordmark inspired by keyholes, warm gradients, and human-centered typography. The project includes a full suite of collateral from signage to digital templates and merchandise.
Saint-UrbainNow Nowbranding - Saint Urbain Crafts Soulful, Story-Driven Brand for Now Now Hotel
It's Nice That · May 28, 2025
Saint Urbain has developed a modular, typographically driven identity for New York’s new hotel Now Now. The brand balances human warmth with metropolitan structure, using the Ginestra typeface and gradient color schemes to evoke introspection and motion. The identity reflects the hotel’s ethos of presence and community for modern travelers.
- Saint-Urbain’s Rebrand Propels Tezza App to New Success Heights
The Brand Identity · Mar 3, 2025
Saint-Urbain has rebranded the popular photo and video editing app Tezza, creating an identity that bridges fashion editorial aesthetics with digital sophistication. The rebrand includes a new wordmark, refined color palette, and a cohesive system spanning website, motion, and packaging. The project positions Tezza as an aspirational yet accessible creative platform for its millions of users.
Saint-UrbainSynchronized StudioTezzabranding - "Saint-Urbain Merges Motorcycles and Matcha in Unique Brand Identity"
The Brand Identity · Dec 9, 2024
Saint-Urbain created a bold, typographic brand identity for Motorcycle Matcha, a tea brand inspired by its founder’s motorcycle journey across Japan. The design merges the mechanical energy of motorcycling with the purity of traditional tea culture through a custom wordmark, monogram, and clean packaging system. The project uses Suisse Int’l and Plaak typefaces to balance industrial and refined aesthetics.
Saint-UrbainMotorcycle Matchabranding - A family horse and neo-Neapolitan pizzas: Saint-Urbain on designing the identity for Speedy Romeo
The Brand Identity · Dec 11, 2023
Saint-Urbain rebranded Brooklyn restaurant Speedy Romeo, drawing inspiration from its namesake horse, 1970s auto culture, and classic rock. The identity features a custom wordmark, playful horse illustrations, and a warm color palette referencing the Pulp Fiction poster. The result ties together nostalgia, motion, and local character in a cohesive visual system.
Saint-UrbainSpeedy Romeobranding - Alex Ostroff on Saint-Urbain’s cosmic new site and creating unique voices that tell amazing stories
The Brand Identity · Jun 15, 2023 · Interview
The Brand Identity interviews Saint-Urbain founder Alex Ostroff about the agency’s new cosmic-themed website and refreshed brand identity. Ostroff discusses the studio’s growth, philosophy, and global team, as well as the creative inspiration behind their retro-futurist aesthetic. The conversation highlights Saint-Urbain’s relationship-driven approach and passion for creating distinctive, emotionally resonant brands.
Saint-UrbainMill3Mile End DeliBlack Seed Bagelsbranding - Saint-Urbain’s identity for NFT retailer Front of House encourages users to wine and dine online
The Brand Identity · Jun 1, 2022
The Brand Identity features Saint-Urbain’s playful and nostalgic brand identity for NFT retailer Front of House, a digital marketplace connecting food culture and web culture. The design uses vibrant colors, retro references, and a mix of typefaces to evoke both restaurant and internet aesthetics. Creative Director Alex Ostroff explains how the identity aims to make FoH recognizable through humor, personality, and style.
Saint-UrbainFront of Housebranding - Saint-Urbain produce two concepts in one with their nostalgic identities for Marigold and Goldies
The Brand Identity · Jan 11, 2022
Saint-Urbain created nostalgic dual identities for Las Vegas restaurant Marigold and its fast-casual counterpart Goldies. The branding blends mid-century Vegas and Palm Springs influences through retro typography, warm color palettes, and a balance of theatricality and familiarity. Creative Director Alex Ostroff emphasizes the goal of evoking the feeling of a beloved family restaurant with a contemporary twist.
Saint-UrbainMarigoldGoldiesbranding