Peacock Alley
Branding | Roll Out | StrategyA signature in Waldorf Astoria hotels worldwide, Peacock Alley is an iconic bar steeped in history and heritage.
Continue Reading +At Crown Creative, we developed a refreshed brand identity along with collateral to be rolled out in each hotel location across the globe.
Before the Waldorf Astoria came to be, a 300ft-long corridor lined with marble was built to connect the two hotel buildings of the Waldorf and the Astoria hotels. The corridor gained the name ‘Peacock Alley’ as it became New York City’s runway of the times, where guilded women would flaunt their flowing gowns, pearl necklaces, diamond tiaras, white ties and tales – much like peacocks.
An icon of fashion and opulence, the Waldorf Astoria is one of the world's most prestigious and world renowned hotels and, today, Peacock Alley bar sits at the center of each one.
The Challenge
Honouring generations of New York legacy, while reinventing the brand for today.
PEACOCK LOUNGE AND PEACOCK ALLEY CAFÉS
THE CLOCK, CENTRAL TO EVERY WALDORF
THE ALLEY: PEACOCK’S NAMESAKE AND THE INSPIRATION FOR OUR IDENTITY
Brand Identity
The Waldorf and Astoria hotels were initially built as two separate structures, but it was later planned that the two hotels could be connected by a 300-ft-long corridor known as Peacock Alley. Our wordmark intends to bring this story to life with each letter in the stencilled face featuring an ‘alley’ running through it. The exception is the letter O’ symbolising Peacock Alley as the central meeting place in any Waldorf Astoria worldwide.
ICONOGRAPHY
Inspired by the Golden Era of design in which the Waldorf Astoria began, our identity system features three key icons suggestive of the hotel’s history. These include motifs such as the signature grandfather clock, a peacock’s plumage and elegant archways found throughout the hotel’s alleys.
Brand Expression
The brand is cloaked in luxurious gold finishes, rich blues and a beautiful custom pattern, evoking a sense of truly layered luxury. These choices and finishes are intended to capture Peacock Alley’s stature as a sophisticated and timeless space within the Waldorf Astoria brand.
PEACOCK PATTERN MAKING
The bespoke pattern for Peacock Alley was meticulously crafted through a printmaking process, resulting in a design that subtly echoes the fan of a peacock’s plumage. These patterns were then intricately woven into custom-made silk, which is used across a number of brand touchpoints.
Brand Expression
These carefully considered elements come together to create a beautiful and crafted brand identity that it is both sympathetic to its history while being refined and relevant for today.
Brand in Use
The Peacock Alley brand has been created to reflect the environments in which the hotels exist. The brand features both a dark and moody palette for urban properties, and a lighter, softer palette for resort properties.
Oppulent Application
Pastry boxes designed to be as elegant as the treats they contain, accent decorative marks that span the width of each panel, gold engraved serving trays and die-cut stencils for gold-dusting drinks with the brand’s monogram ensure that every aspect of the Peacock Alley experience is infused with its unique identity.
The legend is back
With Peacock Alley reopening at the Waldorf Astoria New York, we’re thrilled to see our brand work continue to come to life across the globe. Congratulations to the WA team on the reopening of this iconic landmark!
Project Credits
Ryan Crown
David Carofano
Simon Worthington McQueen
Adam Bell
Waldorf Astoria New York Hotel Archives
Waldorf Astoria Doha
The New York Public Library
Internet Archive, New York
Belfast Print Workshop
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