MISS VAN’S, CANBERRA

STRATEGY, BRAND IDENTITY, INTERIORS, COLLATERAL

‘Old meets New Vietnamese’

As an established Asian food concept in Canberra, Miss Van’s championed home-style Vietnamese staples such as Pho noodles, Banh mi and fried chicken chop, serving it out of their Canberra-based popup.

For founder Andrew Duong, his roots stem back to rural Laos and Vietnam, with his family finding their way to Australia by way of food. From humble beginnings with his grandparents once as farmers, to running a Banh Mi street cart and fleeing refugee camps in Thailand, food has always been a source of livelihood creating opportunity at every turn. Today, Andrew pays homage to his family, bringing a taste of the old and creating some new signatures on the way with Miss Van’s.

BrandWorks was engaged to provide a concept strategy and brand refresh for Miss Van’s, taking inspiration from Andrew’s family traditions and blending the old with his more contemporary taste. The brand identity features an omnipresent rose, symbolic of the respect paid to mothers in Vietnam and the colour palette is sampled from colours found on upholstery and table cloths typically seen in Vietnamese households. 

The interiors are an eclectic homage to French-Vietnamese colonial architecture, a common sight found in cities such as Ho Chi Minh or ‘Old Saigon’. Reminiscent of the shophouses and mansions, the venue will feature high ceilings with suspended tropical greenery, overhead fans, tiled flooring, antiqued mirrors and lattice arches. The facade has been designed to mimic that of the streetscape, engraved timbers, awnings and mock windows all come together to help patrons escape the city hustle and bustle. 

The interior design has almost been treated like ‘set design’ to evoke feelings of cultural homage and nostalgia. Inside we are given a glimpse as to ‘who is Miss Vans?’. Eclectic upholsteries, aged terracotta pot plants and vintage-inspired accessories will have you wondering if she is someone's grandmother is passing down recipes perfected over time. The colour palette has been influenced by the food offering with lush herb tones, vibrant chilli reds and spiced mustards. 

Now open.

Photography credits:

Interiors: Rohan Thomson
Launch: Dom Northcott