i moved to new york in 1989 and i’ve only been to mr. chow's once. it’s expensive, but frankly i don't remember the food. i do love the letterhead, though. i have absolutely no memory of where i found this. i have racked my brain, but for the life of me i simply cannot remember. (actually, i've since learned it's my wifes - she loves mr chow from her club days).
for a so-called modernist i certainly have many examples that do not fit into that narrow category. i actually believe i have more that doesn't. there is a great deal i like about this letterhead. i appreciate it because i don't think i could have designed it. one of the best reasons to work with other designers is because of their unique ‘voices.’ being of a certain age, i tend to gravitate to particular typefaces, stay within a comfort zone, i simply do not see certain possiblitlies. design is often a team effort, sharing the discovery and the solution is rewarding. what strikes me in particular about this design is the laid paper. a perfect choice. i have rarely specified laid paper, not sure why. typefaces are everything when designing a letterhead and the choices here is spot on. i remember when i taught typography and had a long discussion about choosing a typeface. one student had selected a specific typeface for his resume. stealth. the name of the font says it all. my questions to this particular student was, ‘what does this say about you? does it say too much? how “designed” do you want something to be? what note do you want to hit?’ mr. chow's letterhead really resonates with me. maybe it does with you?
