Branding: More Than Just a Logo
Over the years, few studios have maintained such consistent excellence in design as Paul Belford Ltd. Known for its ability to blend creativity with clarity, the studio’s latest work for Ten, a London-based chain of health and fitness studios, is yet another testament to their enduring approach: thoughtful simplicity executed with technical precision.
Reflecting on nearly fifteen years of following Paul Belford Ltd.’s work, it becomes clear why their designs resonate so deeply. Early on, their projects became a silent tutor to those, like myself, navigating design without a formal education. The brilliance lay in their economy of means: a small set of carefully honed elements deployed in a way that felt inevitable, almost obvious once seen. Success wasn’t just about crafting striking assets; it was about persuading clients to trust in the power of restraint—and ensuring that these ideas lived and breathed effectively across real-world applications, long before the era of glossy mock-ups.
Fast forward to today, as design platforms have expanded to encompass motion, interactive identities, and custom typography, the principles that made Paul Belford Ltd.’s work stand out have only grown more relevant. This is precisely why the new visual identity for Ten is so compelling: it embodies timeless design fundamentals while feeling completely contemporary.
At the heart of Ten’s new brand is a logo that manages to be both abstract and deeply meaningful. Constructed from a single line balanced atop a circle, the mark cleverly evokes both the letter “T” and the numeral “10”—a duality that perfectly aligns with the studio’s strapline: “Your centre of balance.” It’s the kind of design that rewards a second glance, offering not just visual recognition but a moment of intellectual satisfaction. The combination of geometric forms—simple yet symbolically loaded—gives the logo both distinctiveness and scalability, allowing it to move effortlessly across signage, merchandise, advertising, and more.
But branding is rarely just about the mark. Paul Belford, whose background includes substantial time in the advertising world, brings a layered sensibility to Ten’s broader identity. The stark, precise geometry of the logo is counterbalanced by a warm, approachable tone in the accompanying copywriting and visual language. Soft pastel color palettes infuse the brand with calm and accessibility, while single-color-tinted photography lends the compositions a cohesive, editorial feel.
Typography plays an equally vital role. Ten’s identity features Funkis, a geometric typeface whose clean yet playful letterforms subtly echo the balance theme. Used at a single size, with color tints introducing visual hierarchy, the type compositions reflect Belford’s keen understanding of asymmetrical balance. Each element, while simple on its own, comes together to form layouts that guide the viewer naturally—never feeling static, always dynamic.
What stands out in this project, as in so much of Paul Belford Ltd.’s work, is the commitment to integrity. This isn’t branding chasing trends or trying to manufacture virality; it’s branding built for longevity. Every decision, from the minimal construction of the logo to the empathetic tone of the advertising, is rooted in purpose rather than spectacle.
It’s easy, in writing about design, to fall into the trap of over-explaining—of stretching a 500-word observation into something bloated simply because the format allows it. But when the work is as disciplined and clear-eyed as Ten’s identity, it deserves the same respect in how it is discussed: concise, focused, and appreciative of its elegance.
Ultimately, Paul Belford Ltd.’s branding for Ten exemplifies a rare equilibrium. It balances simplicity with meaning, geometry with warmth, structure with flow. It shows that in a world saturated with noise and visual excess, there is still immense power in restraint—when done with insight, care, and technical brilliance.
And in celebrating this kind of work, we’re reminded why good design doesn’t just look right—it feels right.
