De Wilde is a Belgian logo designed by Paul Ibou in 1970. The mark is part of Ibou’s extensive body of work, which includes more than 350 logos and symbols created over a career spanning more than six decades.[1]
Design and History
Paul Ibou, born Paul Vermeersch in Borgerhout in 1939, began working as an independent designer in 1962 under the pseudonym Paul Ibou, derived from the French word “hibou” for owl.[2] He played a pioneering role in developing clear visual identities and corporate branding for Belgian companies and organizations.[3]
Ibou designed logos in a reductive hard-edge style for dozens of national and international companies and organizations.[4] His approach to presenting logo designs to clients was distinctive: he created three-dimensional representations of his logos, known as “logo-objecten,” which formed part of his “logotheek” (logo library) now preserved by Design Museum Gent.[3]
Among Ibou’s well-known logo commissions were those for the federal police, the Province of Antwerp, Cécémel, Tele-Onthaal, and the Belgische Tiercé.[1] The De Wilde mark from 1970 belongs to this same period of activity, when Ibou was producing numerous corporate identities for Belgian clients.
Meaning and Symbolism
Documented descriptions of the De Wilde logo’s specific symbolism are not available in the research sources. However, Ibou’s broader design philosophy is characterized by reductive hard-edge styling, favoring geometric simplicity in his logo work.[4]
Ibou’s career output included more than 400 logos and corporate identities for organizations and companies in Belgium and abroad.[5] In 2019, he transferred part of his extensive legacy, including his logo-object collection, to several cultural institutions.[2]
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