Launching a new candle line into an already over-saturated market heightens the pressure on female buyers. So our task was to shake things up a little and surprise the market with an entirely new approach.

As a nod to the elaborate processes of vintage European candle makers, startup branding had to reflect the client’s expertise and training abroad. Eager to draw maximum attention during the pre-launch stage, identity design and assets had to impress both the general public and a broad range of retailers.

Inspired by the vintage gentlemen of the late 19th century, we developed Mr Voss’s visual identity through illustrations that are entirely otherworldly. Experimenting with context and scale, we used artistic collage to invite the consumer into a surreal universe. Antiquated chivalry and aromatic Easter eggs convey masculine design without pandering to men as ‘mandles’, or alienating female buyers in the process. For each product we created personalities unique to scent characteristics – that is, smoky, fruity, earthy – scent names and narratives convey the individuality and complexity of people, enabling customers to identify themselves as the products’ mythical characters.

Crafted to complement one another in a cohesive series, the fantastical worlds we created suggest the sublime possibility of a transcendent experience brought about by fine fragrance.