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Semi:Formal

@semiformal.studio

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We create for those who mean it. Semi:Formal is an award-winning multidisciplinary design studio led by @paolo_catalla.
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Semi:Formal is an award-winning multidisciplinary graphic design studio. We create dynamic solutions for brands, products, people, films, institutions, (& for fun). Design backed by strategy and fueled by play. For more info ✌🏽 www.semiformal.studio taken in Detroit, Michigan by @semiformal.studio
48
2 years ago
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As Midtown continues to evolve, Midtown Detroit Inc. (MDI) is beginning a strategic refresh process to better align how the organization is seen and understood with the scale, role, and future direction of its work. MDI is working with @SemiFormal.Studio, a multidisciplinary brand design studio, with strategy support from #GirouxImpact. Their work will include stakeholder interviews, Midtown site visits, business and partner conversations, and participatory research activities to explore how MDI’s work shows up in both visible and less visible ways. There will be opportunities to share input as the process unfolds. We look forward to listening to and learning from our community and many stakeholders. Stay tuned! #MidtownDetroit #Detroit #MDI #StrategicRefresh by @semiformal.studio
4
4 months ago
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💛 YELLOW DAY 💛 June 20 is National Yellow Day — and the first day of summer. So naturally, @mybigfatshawarma and @brightsidetogether decided to celebrate the best way we know how: by planting a whole lot of yellow. Join us as we transform the berms outside My Big Fat Shawarma into a vibrant display of pollinator-friendly blooms through planting, creativity, and community participation. 🌻 Community Planting 🍋 Free Lemonade 🎶 Music by Joél (@_spacetree) ✏️ Sidewalk Chalk 🎉 Family-Friendly Fun No gardening experience required. No RSVP needed. Just swing by. Saturday, June 20 1–3 PM My Big Fat Shawarma (Wayne State) 4704 Anthony Wayne Drive Detroit Good for bees. Good for butterflies. Good for the neighborhood. See ya there. ☀️ #yellowday #summer #detroit #brightsidecollective mybigfatshawa taken in Wayne State, Detroit by @semiformal.studio
6
4 months ago
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Haunted Heist — in theaters 7.24.26. @comedianlilrel’s directorial debut starring @tiffanyhaddish, @kingbach, @karlousm, Ari Dayan, @brettgelman, and Rel Howery himself. What could possibly go wrong? Some of our wildest work dropping soon 🍿🎬 #hauntedheist #detroit #comedy by @semiformal.studio
2
4 months ago
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Seven years after helping bring @shewolfdetroit to life, Chef Anthony Lombardo came back to us to design the identity for his second baby: Medusa @medusa_detroit. Bringing Sicily to Detroit, the identity is rooted in the Trinacria — the ancient symbol of the island. From Medusa to Mount Etna to Colapesce, the mythology of Sicily unfolds throughout the dining experience. And if you haven’t dined in yet, what are you even doing? S:F Team @paolo_catalla, @elizabethdezeery, @itsamelia.xyz, @___madi.r, @mooodmoves, @juliandalatdesign Medusa Team @lombardoa82, @thisisnatokay, @scott.overall, @javenservo, @bar_beasley Architect / Interior @patrickthompsondesign #medusa #detroit #sicily #design taken in Detroit, Michigan by @semiformal.studio
29
6 months ago
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Get yourself a partner who lets you match their ‘crazy.’ My Big Fat Shawarma let us flex our multidisciplinary design muscle through a holistic view of their brand — from a whole new look to packaging, digital, spatial, interior, motion, merch, print, and more — because strong brands happen when every touchpoint is connected. S:F Team @paolo_catalla, @elizabethdezeery @juliandalatdesign, @___madi.r, @mooodmoves MBFS Team @mybigfatshawarma, @alexjsawa, @brand_barr, @leithsawa Mascot Animation @nite.nat Photo & Video @hayden__scott, @bureaudetroit Architect @vividdesign.studio #mybigfatshawarma #eatbig #detroit #detroitdesign #shawarma #brandidentitydesign #graphicdesign #branding taken in Detroit, Michigan by @semiformal.studio
17
6 months ago
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🌿 At Kintsugi Village, we believe details matter — because people matter. We’re so thankful for our partnership with Semi:Formal, a small but mighty graphic design studio with a multidisciplinary range spanning strategy & research, creative direction, identity systems, development, animation, illustration, storytelling and environmental design. You’ve likely experienced their work without even realizing it — while dining at a favorite Detroit restaurant, watching a film or wandering through a museum. They’ve helped shape the design of our newsletter, refresh our website, create welcoming outdoor signage and develop thoughtful renderings that help us imagine what our spaces can become. Those visual renderings have guided decisions around spacing, flow and what’s ahead — allowing us to move forward with clarity and confidence. Their creativity helps our Village feel cohesive, intentional and aligned with who we are. It’s a joy to build alongside partners who care as much as we do. 🤍 by @semiformal.studio
3
7 months ago
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Humans deserve safety and dignity. We’re redirecting all of our merch proceeds to organizations supporting immigrant families and initiatives. We have a handful of enamel pins and a very limited stock of our “Year One” hoodies still available (only mediums left, sorry!). Support if you can. 🔗 Link in bio #immigrantrights #humanrights by @semiformal.studio
3
9 months ago
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Back in October, I had the bucket-list honor of speaking at the 2025 Brand New Conference (@bnconf) in Pittsburgh — a branding-focused design conference put together by @arminvit and @bryonygp of @brandnewbyucllc. I’ve been a long-time follower since college, so getting to be part of it felt like a wild full-circle moment. I talked about how strategy and design can’t exist without one another and how neither really breaks through without “play”. Especially now, with AI and tech moving so fast — play, curiosity, and risk are essential to making work that actually moves the craft forward. One funny thing about being a sole studio owner is that you’re at the top by default. When you’re up there, it’s tough to measure success when no one’s really telling you if you’re doing a good job or a shitty one. Being invited to speak, and having a room full of people genuinely interested in the journey, the work, and the process, was a nice moment of affirmation. ✌🏽 #playhardplayniceplayoften 📸: @sofianegron taken in Heinz Hall for the Performing Arts by @semiformal.studio
22
10 months ago
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Finally, someone brave enough to keep us in line. Meet S:F’s newest member — Project Operations Manager, Jenna Blackson @mooodmoves Jenna is a project manager, Grand Valley grad, and proud Detroit enthusiast who’s made a career out of turning creative chaos into organized success. Over the past decade, she’s worked with major brands like McDonald’s, Penn National Gaming, Amazon, Merrell, and Detroit Opera, to name a few. When she’s off the clock, you can find her brewing small-batch kombucha for her own brand, @marymaikombucha, going to see live music or playing her bass, or posted up at one of her favorite Detroit dives. Consider these projects MANAGED 🤘🏽. by @semiformal.studio
31
a year ago
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CD&S Alumni Spotlight: Congratulations to Paolo Catalla (CD&S ’12) for speaking at this year’s Brand New Conference, a two-day event showcasing some of the most influential voices in brand and identity design from around the world. Paolo, Founder and Principal Creative of Semi:Formal, shared how his mantra “Play Hard, Play Nice, Play Often” became the foundation of his creative process, a strategy for staying bold, curious, and grounded while uncovering fresh ideas across disciplines. He reflected on projects dating back to his days as a CCS student, where he combined his love of creative coding, music, and typography, and highlighted recent studio work for the Toledo Museum of Art, Detroit Opera, Rathaus, Kids Like Us, and My B!gFat Shawarma, among others. Paolo also shared motion and UI design work featured in The Mill, a sci-fi film on Netflix. Semi:Formal is home to a talented team of fellow CD&S alumni, including Elizabeth DeZeery (’22), Madi Ritenburgh (’23), and Julian Dalat (’24). We’re proud to see our graduates shaping global conversations in creativity and design leadership. @ccs_cds @ccs_alumni_detroit @ccs_detroit @ccs_admissions @bnconf @semiformal.studio @ucllc @bnconf #communicationdesign #brandidentity #brandingdesign #graphicdesign #creativity #designleadership #typography #visualcommunication #interactiondesign #motiondesign #uiux #userexperiencedesign #uxdesign #digitaldesign #detroitdesign #ccsdetroit #collegeforcreativestudies #artschool #designschool #bnconf #semiformalstudio #ccsalumni #ccscreative taken in College For Creative Studies Taubman Center by @semiformal.studio
12
a year ago
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DRUMROLL, PLEASE! We’re so excited to finally unveil our logo for Marrow in The Market Our forthcoming Eastern Market location at 2442 Riopelle Street brings together everything we love under one historic roof: a retail butcher shop with visible craft in action, a large dining room serving elevated comfort classics inspired by French, English, and American traditions and designed for sharing, dual bars (The Butcher Bar on the main floor serving lunch and casual dinner, and City View Lounge on the second floor with skyline views), weekend brunch, Prime Rib Sunday dinners, Paella Monday nights, world-class private dining, workshops, events, and more. It’s our most expansive project to date, building on Eastern Market’s 100+ year meatpacking legacy to create a one-of-a-kind farm-to-table destination and community gathering place for Detroit, rooted in the same transparency, farmer relationships, and values you know from Marrow. Opening soon. We can’t wait to show you what we’ve built. by @semiformal.studio
24
a year ago
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