Grouch Hair
Brand Identity & Creative Direction
Grouch Hair is a rebellious, character-driven salon located in the Melbourne neighbourhood of Collingwood. Rooted in the DIY spirit and energy of Melbourne’s inner north, the identity captures the brand’s unapologetic attitude through “Grouchy,” a mascot that embodies grit, community, and of course, hair. Unfiltered, bold, thoughtful, and a little rough around the edges, the character gives the salon a distinctive voice and visual personality that connects directly with the counter-cultural roots of Melbourne’s inner-north.
Brand Identity
Creative Direction
Illustration
Photography
Signage & Wayfinding
Website Design
ADDITIONAL PROJECT CREDITS
AstroSigns (Signage)
R.Sport (Grouch FC Jersey Production)
All of the Above (Screenprinting)
The brief was to create a brand identity for a new inner-north salon that stepped away from polish, conformity, and the typical visual language seen in an area with a saturated market – instead embracing the raw energy of its Collingwood context, and the personality of the Grouch team. The identity needed to feel expressive, and flexible enough to exist across physical space, merchandise, and digital without losing its attitude.
At the centre of the identity is “Grouchy”, a character developed as both mascot and salon narrator. The logo mark merges this rough, stylised face with simple typography, and a high-contrast colour palette – cutting through the salon’s raw interior of concrete, plywood and white surfaces. Film photography, collage, and textural application of the brand draw from punk zine culture, music ephemera, and the visual language of the surrounding streets.
The identity extends beyond traditional branding into participation and object-making. Sticker packs were produced as client gifts, and Grouch stencils were made as a means to create marketing and signage in a distinctly Grouch way. Merchandise leaned into a familiar punk and hardcore ethos, or the teams’ passion for football through a jersey created with local label R.Sport. Digitally, the website and social presence adopt the same DIY tone of voice, presenting the brand as if managed by Grouchy himself.
The result is a highly distinctive, character-led brand that feels embedded in place rather than dropped in. Grouch Hair stands apart from conventional salon branding through its refusal of refinement, preferring expression, humour, and roughness.