The Lab is Kathmandu’s first vinyl listening bar.

The founders came with a specific request: build an identity that felt nothing like a hospitality brand. Their reference points were record labels and sleeve artwork, not bar interiors.

The deliverables included the full identity system, cocktail menu, event posters, business card, and an ongoing social media template system.

Vinyls set the mood, either the main focus or simply ambience. Simple, timeless and dynamic.

Different covers create a different feel. I wanted The Lab’s identity to function the same way, packaging it as an experience rather than signage for a venue.

So I built the brand as a record label that happens to serve cocktails. Every touchpoint performs like a release, not a hospitality asset.

The logo was inspired by the iconic shape of the vinyl record placed inside its album cover. Simple in theory, the icon was instantly memorable to anyone passionate about what The Lab stood for. A place made with the love of music in mind.

Event posters, the drinks menu, staff uniforms, coasters, business cards and social media, each one treated as a release.