Quân Ninh Portfolio

2023

Lacadi

Lacadi is a Vietnamese restaurant in Porto, Portugal, positioned as a contemporary reinterpretation of Vietnamese culture through food and visual identity. The project explores how traditional elements can be translated into a modern, flexible design system that feels both authentic and unexpected. My role was to develop the brand from the ground up, including visual identity and art direction, and to extend it across key touchpoints such as packaging and social media.

After relocating to Porto, Portugal, Trang set out to open a Vietnamese restaurant—both as a way to reconnect with her roots and to introduce Vietnamese culture and cuisine to the local community.

The ambition was to build a brand that reflects Vietnam in a contemporary way—moving away from overly traditional aesthetics, and instead reinterpreting cultural elements through a fresh, creative lens.

“Lacadi” comes from the Vietnamese phrase “La cà đi”—a casual, inviting expression that suggests wandering or going out for a stroll.

The brand is conceived as an open invitation to explore Vietnamese cuisine—moving from busy, vibrant streets to quiet alleys rich with history and character.

The business card extends this idea of movement and exploration.

Featuring a logo-shaped cut-out, each card reveals a different image depending on what sits behind it—allowing the identity to shift across contexts.

The result is a dynamic visual that reinforces the idea of Lacadi as a companion—“la cà” with you through different places and experiences.

The color palette and illustration style are inspired by traditional Vietnamese folk paintings, as well as ornamental details found in temples and vernacular architecture.

The illustrations are executed in a loose, sketch-like style—intentionally imperfect—to retain a sense of authenticity while introducing a distinct, contemporary character to the brand.

A social media system was developed to ensure consistency while allowing flexibility across different types of content.

Posts are structured into distinct categories based on their communication goals.

A set of graphic elements—derived from the identity guidelines—is combined in modular ways for each category, creating visual variety while maintaining a cohesive brand expression.

For packaging and printed materials, the challenge extended beyond visual expression to production constraints.

Printing processes and costs in Porto differ significantly from those in Vietnam, requiring a more flexible and cost-efficient approach.

A sticker-based packaging system was developed to reduce production costs—allowing branded labels to be applied onto ready-made, unbranded containers.