Merchandise design for Restaurant Nisei and Bar Iris
I was approached by Chef and owner David Yoshimura to provide a merchandise line to celebrate the restraurant's upcoming three year anniversary since opening in 2021. This apparel line would be sold and distributed at the restaurant's annual block party celebration. I wanted to provide a look that would speak to the restaurant's ethos and David's culinary journey and Japanese heritage while also having a chic and eye-catching visual that anyone would want to wear. We ultimately gravitated towards the Japanese "Daruma" imagery since that had an important meaning to David and the restaurant itself. Traditionally, Daruma dolls are seen as good luck charms and when first purchased or gifted they have both eyes blank white. The owner will then select a wish or goal and fills in one eye. Once that goal is fulfilled, the remaining eye is then filled in.
This was completed when the restaurant was awarded its first Michelin star in 2022 and has retained it ever since. A matching design was also done for its sister bar "Bar Iris" that has opened in the same year and when both are paired side by side, they complete the entire look.
