Landor’s multisensorial rebrand for Elica brings both art and engineering into the kitchen space

With Italy’s reputation for homeware and furnishing design, Elica exemplifies Italian excellence and innovation. While they are primarily known for their elegant range hoods and kitchen ventilation solutions – where sophisticated engineering meets distinctive Italian design – they’ve expanded their offerings to include cooktops, ovens, and wine cellars. To accommodate this growth, Elica required a unifying visual language that marries the company’s legacy with its future prospects for the next stage of its lifespan.

‘Manifesto del Macchinismo’ (a manifesto embraced by many Italian artists that emphasises the value of machines in everyday life) serves as the driving force behind Elica’s new brand expression. Developed by global brand consulting firm Landor, the rebrand positions Elica as a company that celebrates innovation in the kitchen across the board while maintaining a distinctive aesthetic and identity that reflects its pioneering DNA. It pays homage to Elica’s founder – Ermanno Casoli an entrepreneur, inventor, and lover of contemporary art. Alessio Galdi, Creative Director, explains that Casoli named the company ‘Elica’ in honour of Elica Balla, the daughter of the Futurist artist Giacomo Balla. “In addition, the Ermanno Casoli Foundation was established in 2007, promoting initiatives where contemporary art becomes a teaching and methodological tool for sparking innovation in work environments.”

This convergence of creativity and technology – blending the world of machines with the world of art – is summarised as ‘Artfully Inventive.’ The concept revolves around making technology not only functional but also emotional, fostering a paradigm shift in the entire kitchen appliance landscape to, according to Design Director Andrea Maddaloni, treat products “not just as functional elements but as expressive tools; true means of creating art and changing our daily experience with them.”

The square, a shape integral to Elica’s former identity and seen as “the origin point from which all forms evolve,” has been reimagined as a foundational element of the brand. According to Galdi, this square serves as a spark and a “white canvas” from which all creative possibilities emerge. The team has transformed this symbolic shape into a generative and dynamic visual language, utilising a modular visual system inspired by programmed art. They incorporate motion design, animating key visuals with dynamic gradient transitions and fluid, wave-like movements that emphasise both the technical and aesthetic excellence of Elica’s products. Elements associated with air feature cool blues, while those linked to cooking utensils showcase warmer hues and radiating reds. Advanced products, like the LHOV – an all-in-one hob and oven with a suction system – are represented through hybrid tones, highlighting the brand’s innovative spirit.

“The aim was to demonstrate the superiority of Elica’s products,” notes Maddaloni, “firstly by highlighting the originality of their industrial design, and then by creating real works of art in motion, emphasising Elica’s ability to combine technology and creativity in a unique way.” Developed in collaboration with sonic specialists, Amp Sound Branding, Elica’s melodic fingerprint adds an extra dimension to the brand’s multifaceted storytelling. 

To anchor the design, Landor explored Elica’s historical wordmarks to identify the distinctive traits consistently linked to the brand, aiming to bring those traits into the contemporary context.

“We wanted Elica, like other great brands and excellences of Italian design, to have a timeless wordmark,” Maddaloni explains. “Something that would project Elica into the world of the greats, like Kartell, Alessi, Cassina. Brands that for their simplicity have been able, over the years, to overcome trends and create campaigns and brand activations that are always different and original.” They opted for Dinamo’s ABC Favorit Expanded, a straightforward, low-contrast grotesque that combines geometric precision with subtle idiosyncrasies and a touch of humour typical of Italian design. For the final ‘Elica’ touch, the brand’s central square motif dots the ‘i.’