Van Alva

A couple of days ago, I found myself asking people for their earrings in the middle of the street. Why? Well, because I was late for a photoshoot after getting lost in the south of Madrid. Anyone who has ever ventured there with GPS should know the kind of vortex you enter when you go through the tunnels that block your Maps signal.

That's how I got lost on my way to pick up the flashes, which led me to be late. As I was rushing through Madrid following my GPS, suddenly my phone died. I couldn't call anybody, nor could I look up the address. I didn't know what to do. That morning, while organizing all my gear, I took an iPhone I bought a couple of weeks back, which I hadn't been able to use because I'm a professional procrastinator. I wanted to take cool BTS with it but fearing it would get scratched or lost amidst the chaos of the sesh, I left it. But, for some mystical reason, as I was already on the elevator, I got the urge to go back and grab it.

There I was, not knowing what to do, when, the iPhone!. I took it out only to realize I didn't have any tiny sticks to open the SIM card slot. BTW, why do we all agreed that SIM slots should be that hard to open? I got out of the car and began asking strangers for their earrings, like a mad person on a mission.

Don't ask me how, I eventually opened the SIM card slot and made it to Cotorrita, where I found a beautiful group of people who were so invested in making the shoot happen that I completely forgot about the BTS. Everything went so smoothly, and everyone was awesome, professional, good-looking, and knew how to grind. We Millennials and zoomers just know our poses and best angles. The result: these beautiful shots that will always remind me to be more calm and embrace the chaos the world sometimes offers us. Just go with the flow, and you never know when a kind Chinese woman, on her break inside her closed store, eating directly from a tupperware, will stop her meal to help you out by giving you her toothpick to open a SIM card slot.

Van Alva x ​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​: Visual Identity​​​​​​​​
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Van Alva x ​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​: Visual Identity​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​ ​​​​​​​​ **d

Van Alva x ​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​: Visual Identity​​​​​​​​
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What is the definition of a good sale? Is it profit? Is it the satisfaction on your clients' faces? What is it?​​​​​​​​
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2 years ago I had my first child, Julieta. As a brand new parent on my way to buy baby formula for days old baby, I stumbled upon the CBD shop, there was Oscar, the owner of the shop, at the front desk, ready to answer any questions this coffee-intoxicated, disperse and frenetic person was about to shoot, and as the good Venezuelan that I am, that as we say: "talks through his elbows" I didn't under-delivered, luckily for me, this guy was kind, patient, and geeky about his stuff, the kind of person I love to assault with my intense conversations, nice guy, maybe too nice.​​​​​​​​
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While showing me all the “flowers” and options I had to start my CBD journey, I noticed an inconsistency in the branding while holding one of the CBD bags, as the geeky designer that I am, I was kind enough to point it out while whispering to myself out loud like a crazy person in the worst and most sincere way possible; Oscar, abruptly intervened in my crazy self-talk and agreed to what I was saying, and so, a great and dense conversation about branding emerged out of the blue, from that day I was supposed to buy formula and rush back home with my lovely and desperate half.​​​​​​​​
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Oscar then contacted me and the coolest and easy-going work relationship started. We redesigned the brand through the agency I founded back in 2020 with my dear cousin .​​​​​​​​
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A great sale, not looking for it, on a random, chilly, sunny day, after a long and juicy conversation with a stranger.​​​​​​​​
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This version of the design isn't the final, this one stuck with me and I just love it. The final design that Oscar choose was mostly done by and soon I will be sharing it with you since it is beautiful.