Where Scent Becomes Story

product & service design project
Brand Strategy & Identity Project
beauty sector
Disclosure - Project Developed as part of the role at Atypic Skincare

Insight

Project Context
It began with a feeling - not a formula. The founders wanted to create a fragrance brand where scent becomes story.

With only a poetic idea at its core, the journey started as an open invitation to build a world as layered and expressive as the fragrances themselves.
brand challenge
Transform an open-ended concept into a fully formed brand - with a clear strategy, brand identity, product philosophy, and visual language.
my role
Led the project from brand conception to execution, covering brand discovery, product narrative design, customer profiling, naming, packaging, and creative direction.
impact
This foundational work became the launchpad for all subsequent communications, brand and business development efforts.

Strategic Lens

Discovery
This project was guided by the belief that a fragrance brand should evoke more than just scent - it should tell a story.

Strategy served as the connective tissue between product and brand, anchoring every decision in emotional resonance, narrative cohesion, and sensory elegance. Underpinning it all was deep research into consumer psychology and the emotional science of scent - how people choose, remember, and connect with fragrance.

Every element, from product concept to positioning, was built not only to move people emotionally, but to move them to buy.

Objectives

What Success Needed to Look Like
Build a Strategic Brand Foundation
Create an emotionally grounded, timeless brand concept rooted in archetype, brand values, and consumer insight - fit for a modern luxury fragrance label.
Conceptualise a Distinct Product Universe
Design a scent collection that blends memory, metaphor, and emotion - with product names, stories, and sensory cues that align with the brand philosophy.
Lead Creative & Visual Direction
Translate the strategy into a cohesive visual identity and packaging system, while directing art direction across moodboards, photography, and digital brand assets.

Approach

Structure, Substance, and Story
step 1

Strategic Discovery

We began with a series of brand exploration exercises - diving into fragrance market trends, consumer psychology, and competitor positioning. Research and inspiration boards surfaced emotional drivers behind scent selection and uncovered whitespace in the niche fragrance space.

step 2

Brand Narrative & Architecture

Using the insights gathered, we developed the brand’s strategic foundations - purpose, positioning, audience archetypes, and tone of voice. “Choose your scent, choose your story” became the central philosophy, guiding both product and brand narratives.

step 3

Product Concept & Naming

Each fragrance was conceptually mapped to a metaphor or emotional memory, then named accordingly (e.g. Path of Lemons, Memoire du Temps). This structure turned every scent into a narrative choice, inviting customers to curate their own ‘perfume wardrobe.’

step 4

Visual & Verbal Identity System

We translated the brand strategy into a cohesive identity - defining typography, colour palette, and packaging direction. Verbal identity work included naming systems, taglines, and micro-copy that maintained emotional consistency across all touchpoints.

step 5

Creative & Launch Direction

To prepare for launch, I directed the art and storytelling behind photoshoots, brand visuals, and presentation materials. The result was a fully realised multi-sensory brand ready for e-commerce, wholesale, and editorial features - built from strategy up.

Impact

Results That Made the Difference

A Brand Built from Concept to Launch

Turned a blank concept into a cohesive brand system - complete with a defined narrative, product architecture, and customer experience. The clarity and depth of strategy meant the brand could go straight into production and market.

Narrative-Driven Product Line

The product storytelling and naming framework enabled every scent to stand alone - and together - as part of a unique, emotionally resonant perfume wardrobe. This differentiated the brand in a saturated market.

Scalable Marketing Execution

With a full brand system in place (from verbal identity to campaign direction), the brand had everything needed to execute consistent campaigns, expand into new markets, and onboard creative partners with ease.
testimonials

Adrianna has an exceptional ability to translate abstract ideas into a cohesive brand strategy - she took our vague vision and turned it into a powerful, emotionally resonant identity. She brought structure to the chaos, shaped our positioning, clarified our customer story, and helped us find the narrative that made Sentier truly distinct.

Alioune Ndione
Co-Founder and Marketing Director
testimonials

Adriana brought unique, imaginative concepts for each of the Sentier fragrances, crafting distinct stories that perfectly captured their character. She was instrumental in the shoot’s execution, with her styling expertise and art direction ensuring every detail was considered and cohesive. Adrianna developed imaginative concepts for each Sentier fragrance and brought them to life with her expert styling and art direction.

Nathan Miles
Design Lead
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