truuzēn

Reimagining Its Identity Through the Passage of Time

Client
truuzēn

Service
Logo Design
Visual Identity
Packaging Design
Art Direction

Partner
Liao Zicheng

Team
CD: Liao Zicheng
D: Liao Zicheng / Liang Zhiying / Zeng Xiuting /
Yang Haosong / Ding Yuxin / Lai Guangjian / Chen Jingtong
PM: Zeng Xiling
MD: Huang Jiahao

Case Study
D: Ding Yuxin

truuzēn is a lifestyle leather goods brand centered on water-dyed, vegetable-tanned leather. Rooted in authentic materials and traditional craftsmanship, the brand embraces the passage of time and an appreciation for detail in everyday life. Guided by the philosophy of wu wei (无为), truuzēn respects the inherent qualities of leather and its natural evolution, seeing time as a process through which materials gradually develop character and vitality.

To mark truuzēn’s tenth anniversary, UDL revisited the brand’s decade-long relationship with time. Drawing on its commitment to materials, craftsmanship, and lifestyle, we distilled its perspective on time and nature into a new visual direction.

The refreshed identity takes “Traces of Time” as its starting point, drawing inspiration from the natural transformations of vegetable-tanned leather. We translated the material’s softness, evolving forms, and subtle signs of aging into a visual language that feels calm, open, and full of life. In parallel, “Trajectories of Time” guides the art direction, drawing on patterns of growth and change in nature to inform the secondary mark and spatial expressions.

Across the wordmark, visual identity, and spatial experience, UDL brings truuzēn’s understanding of time and nature into a cohesive brand expression. As the brand reaches a wider audience, this distinctive spirit, shaped by materials, craftsmanship, and time, can continue to evolve and become part of more people's everyday lives.

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The wordmark lies at the heart of the refreshed identity. Inspired by the supple qualities of leather, we refined the letterforms and their details, introducing a natural softness while maintaining a clear, stable structure. The result is a calm yet expressive identity that reflects truuzēn’s philosophy of living in harmony with nature.

Through subtle variations in letter spacing and the interplay of negative space, we introduced a measured rhythm to the wordmark. The spaces between letters expand and contract like breathing, bringing a gentle sense of movement to otherwise static forms and conveying the brand’s sense of balance and ease.

Guided by “Trajectories of Time,” our art direction explores the gradual transformations found in nature. From weathered surfaces and organic growth patterns to the changing colors and textures of vegetable-tanned leather, these uncontrived expressions of natural beauty inform the brand’s visual language.

Drawing on the growth rings of trees, we developed a secondary mark inspired by the patterns formed over time. Just as growth rings record the life of a tree, they echo the way leather evolves with use and age. Complementing the primary wordmark, the secondary mark introduces greater flexibility across media and applications.

We extended this restrained, nature-led approach to the brand imagery, seeking a thoughtful balance between authenticity and aesthetics, product and everyday life. The imagery goes beyond showcasing the products to reflect the lifestyle truuzēn embraces. This concept also carries through to the brand’s physical spaces, creating a cohesive experience across visual and spatial expressions.