Project 02
ItzehoeTokyo
ItzehoeTokyo is a conceptual T-shirt print exploring cultural perception, typography, and scale. The design features the wordmark “ItzehoeTokyo” in Residenz Grotesk by the type foundry LA BOLDE VITA, with alternate glyphs subtly echoing the rounded, flowing forms of Japanese hiragana.
Inspired by the design studio “Deutsche & Japaner”, the project is a light-hearted tribute to German–Japanese friendship. While the northern German town of Itzehoe has no direct connection to Japan, its coat of arms includes wave motifs that recall traditional Japanese patterns — a visual bridge between the two cultures.
The work embraces contrast and irony by pairing the globally iconic megacity of Tokyo with the relative obscurity of Itzehoe. In doing so, ItzehoeTokyo satirizes fashion and pop culture’s use of city names as cultural shorthand.
