I lost a ring in the sea & built a brand around it
The Solène Logo: The first glimpse of the brand.
"Some things are made to last. The Solène woman wakes early, wearing the same jewellery she's been wearing for years and refuses to take off. She's relaxed and confident - grabs a coffee and a pastry on the way to the beach with just a towel and a dog-eared paperback in her basket. She finds her spot on the rocks, strips off her light linen dress and dives into clear, azure waters wearing only her faded yellow bikini and her signature jewellery: solid silver and gold that is as much a part of her as the ocean-drenched hair on her head.
She's both timeless and cool.
Her jewellery both precious and everyday."
The Moodboard: Where it all begins.
My latest mock brand project was built on a grey June morning, which is perhaps exactly why she needed to exist.
This one felt so easy to create because it's linked so closely to things I follow and believe. You will generally never see me without my gold and silver rings, chains, bracelets and earrings, things I've lovingly collected over time and plan to wear forever - to the point I lost my Daniella Draper silver signet ring in the sea last year because I refused to take it off…
The Details: Fonts, hierarchy, colours, the feel.
This starting point just developed effortlessly into this French inspired, charming and coastal brand. Something I could really get behind and turn into a piece that felt so real and full of magic and life.
I had a lot of dead ends when it came to naming her - I knew I wanted something a bit different and using another language. I had all kinds of names - Lueur: the French for 'glow', Maison Magique: a nod to my brand philosophy and my little wrist tattoo. But Solene just ended up feeling right, a woman I could write about and create a personality for, and a radiant name associated with the sun.
The Feed: The brand living and breathing in the real world.
I think what has worked so beautifully here and has made it so easy to create is the story that runs through it all. Every founder has a story, a why and their own personality, and by starting with that, you get to this point where all aspects of a brand flow together so seamlessly. You can see the story woven into every part of it, from the service or product, through to the fonts and colours and the way the website looks. That synchronicity makes it feel so special and considered, and something clients and customers can feel too.
The Website: Where the brand lives.
This is what I try to bring to every brand I work on - finding the thread that makes everything feel both natural and inevitable.
