Print System for Marchioness

There are dream clients and then there are DREAM CLIENTS. Marchioness is one of them.

Marchioness Home & Garden is based in Dover, Massachusetts. The founder has travelled the world, collecting and procuring special pieces that will help shape her e-commerce offering(s), launching this Spring 2020. The sentiments of the brand are so feminine, timeless and special. The products range from an early 19th-century French painting, rare First Edition Audubon Watercolors, to a whimsy birdcage statement piece, or small curiosity. Each one tells its own narrative. The overall mood of the brand also truly captures the essence of its Founder Bethany, who is absolutely lovely, warm and gracious. Marchioness authentically honors a by-gone era in an effortless yet reimagined way.

Marchioness came to C&C looking to ultimately turn a robust passion into a business. We started with a brand identity project, then shifted to various phases of content generation, collateral creation, operational development, monetization strategy, collection curation and now, building an e-commerce platform.

I am extremely fortunate to have assembled a creative team that is so committed to Marchioness. Each project partner has been able to contribute their unique skill set to each phase of work. Below you’ll find recent photos from a shoot that aimed to capture pieces from the brand’s new print system.

We brought on Lindsay Fair of WOMA Design to help execute brand identity, brand collateral and web development. It’s no secret that I adore Lindsay. She has been an instrumental part of the brand’s cultivation. When making selections for the print & packaging pieces, we truly labored over each detail, resulting in some sumptuous pieces that will serve Bethany and her brand well. The business cards are engraved, letter pressed AND edged in gold ink. They are on double thick paper (it’s ALL about the card stock), accompanied by an engraved notecard with a custom envelope liner. The envelope liner design was inspired by an exquisite and rare antique paper Bethany had collected.

Thank you to all for playing a part in this project:

Graphic Design & Web Development: WOMA Design
Photography: Molly Lo Photography
Styling: Caylin Harris Creative
Florals: Weatherlow Florals

SALT

Last weekend my sister and I accompanied my Mother to Florida to celebrate her birthday. It was a lovely weekend that was strictly devoted to R&R on the beach. Stacks of magazines were devoured, swims in the sea were enjoyed and we most certainly made the most out of every moment in the sunshine. Newport has been raw and with the sun setting so early, a quick escape to soak in some salt & sun was the perfect reset. Not to mention, I was so happy my spontaneous airport book purchase proved to be a great read.

Thanksgiving

And so it’s here. Thanksgiving will always be one of my most favorite holidays. Family traditions are incredibly important to me, and I love the traditions we have in our family…of course, for this holiday, they mostly live in the kitchen! I always look forward to my sister’s Nantucket pie and Sweet Potato Casserole (with Marshmallows!), our family’s spinach salad with citrus and pomegranate (My Aunt’s specialty!), homemade cranberry sauce and Spinach Soufflé.

I wish you and yours a Happy Thanksgiving. I’ll leave you with this photograph of Carolyn Murphy, clad in shearling, looking as she always does, effortless, magnificently beautiful and Americana-cool.

Meet Robyn Hynes of Frontier 1862

I’m so pleased to introduce you to Robyn Hynes of Frontier 1862 for many reasons. One in particular, is that the timing simply “felt” appropriate. Hailing from South Dakota, Robyn’s aesthetic is this cool yet raw mountain chicness that I’ve always been drawn to. It elicits this type of feeling that you just want to be wrapped up in. One look at her Instagram and you’ll quickly see what I mean. It just oozes with all of the textures, light and beauty one might conjure up for an autumn mood board.

A mood board from Robyn’s South Dakota Studio

Email campaign for Tiina Smith Jewelry announcing her new digs on Newbury Street

But getting down to business…. Robyn and I worked together on some super special creative initiatives for Tiina Smith Jewelry. Tiina’s jewels are as MAJOR as they get. MAJOR. We’re talking Van Cleef & Arpels, Cartier, Moussaieff and the like. Our focus areas were mostly with regard to e-commerce and email marketing, tools that have set Tiina up for success in a big way. Having just opened her doors on the illustrious Newbury Street in Boston, it’s safe to say Tiina is dreaming it and doing it, company we like to keep!

Some of Tiina’s dreamy jewels…are you drooling yet?!

What makes Robyn so skilled is the combination of her sheer eye and understanding of an elevated digital experience, but also her execution. Our work together felt lockstep throughout each phase.

Here, I leave you with a Q&A to get to know Robyn:

Share with us a little bit about Frontier 1862. 

Frontier 1862 is my creative studio I started in February 2018. I was fresh out of college and had overheard some writers at graduation discussing freelancing, so I tried it out – and it took off! I evolved into working with interior & fashion designers as well as some people in the beauty industry doing their digital marketing & content design. The rest is history!

Paint the picture of an ideal Frontier 1862 client...

My ideal client is a stylish creative who loves exploring all aspects of beauty that the world has to offer. I love working with people who have great personal style in both their home and how they represent themselves through fashion. I really love working with fellow artists and creatives.  

What excites you about fall? 

RAIN BOOTS! I’m a HUGE fan of rain boots and wear them daily during the fall and winter seasons. I’m also really excited for cold crisp weather, fall candles from Swan Creek Candle Company and baking some great recipes! 

For someone that has never been to South Dakota before, what are some musts when visiting? 

I definitely recommend a drive down or hike in Spearfish Canyon if you’re in the Black Hills – or if you make it to the eastern side of the state, where I grew up, I recommend a visit to J.L. Beers. It’s your ideal midwestern local sports-bar dive with great food and drinks.  

How can a brand elevate its aesthetic through graphic design? 

I always say that good design evolves from good photography. Luckily, I work with a lot of brands that know the value of investing in a photographer. When the photography is off, it makes it super hard to have good designs for your marketing collateral and online content.

Typefaces you're loving as of late? 

I’m obsessed with Lust Pro. I think the lightest weight in both regular and italic transformations is absolutely beautiful.

What does the natural world mean to you and how does it influence your work?

Out here in the West, our seasons are very extreme so I’m heavily influenced by the colors of each season. In the Spring, I’m definitely drawn to brighter colors like yellows, greens, pinks etc… In the fall and winter, I’m much more into darker burgundy colors, deep navy and green. I evolve in my work along with the seasons! 

What is the biggest mistake businesses make when it comes to building their brand or thinking about their digital identity?

I have a heavy art background, so I’d say composition is everything. For example, if your online store has huge blocky fonts, poor images or nothing is spaced out and fits correctly, the composition can deter a potential customer or client. Having a balance between colors, imagery and typography is the most important thing. Websites are like the digital storefront. If a customer saw a messy storefront, they’re probably not going to step inside your store! 

Most rewarding Frontier project to-date?

I’d say the most rewarding projects I’ve worked on are all of the clients who come to me after having a bad experience with another designer. I love fixing up a website or email campaign after someone feels all hope is lost and kind of gaining their trust in hiring a contractor again. I make a lot of work friends that way and I love to help people in any way I can, so those experiences are the most rewarding.

The best career advice you've ever received?

Learn to say no. It’s perfectly fine to want to take a break! Us creatives actually probably even need it to refuel our brains. Learning to say no in the workplace has really allowed me to refresh my perspective and have the time and mental energy to take on jobs I’m passionate about. 

You work with a great deal of luxe fashion and jewelry brands. Who are your top two personal fashion icons? 

I LOVE Nicole Kidman’s style – especially in her 73 questions, Vogue interview! It’s so romantic and ethereal. I’ve loved everything about her since seeing her in Cold Mountain like 5 years ago! I also love the style and beauty of the Gibson Girls, specifically Evelyn Nesbit. I think her story is so, so interesting and that she still presented herself with such elegance. She’s the epitome of natural beauty in my opinion!

THANK YOU, ROBYN!