Whosit & Whatsit
Celebrating the who behind the what, Whosit & Whatsit was an attempt to disrupt the retail industry – offering independent designers an affordable monthly subscription, with a 100% return on their sales.
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Based in Newcastle upon Tyne, UK – W&W represented over 180 independent designers. Built on a subscription model as opposed to wholesale, W&W put Designers profits before their own.
W&W encouraged smaller, independent designers to sell in a physical shop – flexibly, and affordably (from £30 per month).
They stocked a large array of product – from clothing and accessories, to homeware and furniture – from local, national, and international designers alike.
We built a brand that was respectfully simple;
The W and W always playing the role of the ‘Who’ and the ‘What’.
A brand that felt clean, inviting, and that could hold its own – but that could be paired back to give stage to the Designers and products themselves.
Our work
Brand SYSTEM
Logo(s)
Brand Guidelines: Logo, Colour, Typography, Illustration, Photography style.
Printed communications
Instore signage
Social template designs
FURTHER DESIGN SERVICES
Shopify store
Advertising
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Sadly, at the end of August 2016 the business had to close its doors. It's ethos – and belief in the designers it built the business for – will always stand strong however.
What W&W Designers had to say at the time…
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I like to think W&W is the missing link in an ever increasing online consumer world.
We are all starting to lose touch with the simple pleasure of walking into a shop, seeing, touching and experiencing a product before buying it. W&W is the window designers need to get the respect and exposure their products deserve.
Since signing up with W&W I have received a constant flow of sale each month and couldn’t think of a better place for my products to be.
Paul Robson, Muro Buro
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W&W is a fantastic retail environment that relects the originality and innovative products it sells and promotes. The W&W team are wonderful – always thinking ahead and supporting all of the designers.
The exposure that W&W have generated for us in invaluable and is a great climate for the development and growth of a fledging brand.
Amanda Bradley, Amanda Bradley Illustration
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The Whosit 7 Whatsit subscription model is tailored perfectly for independent businesses like AnyForty – minimum risk and maximum reward. It makes the traditional wholesale model feel very out of date.
If your stuff’s good, then you’d be a fool not to sign up.
Alan Wardle, AnyForty
Brand palette
Why we wanted to work with W&W
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We wanted to build community in our city, to support and champion as many independent designers as possible.
We know so many fantastic solo-creators, who we wanted to bring to the attention of the general public. So their small (mostly online) brands could have a physical storefront and their audiences grow wider.
We wanted to create a place where people can experience product design, rather than ordering online or being coerced into wasteful ‘fast-fashion’.
Want to know more?
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W&W was a second business to Naomi.
She founded every aspect of it; from the business model, the monthly admin tools, and renovating the 17th century building itself – through to the brand, comms and advertising.
