Nocturne is a self-initiated fragrance house I built from the ground up, treated with the same process I'd bring to any client: strategy first, then design. 

The brief was familiar: a fragrance inspired by the city after dark. Most fragrance branding solves that with common approaches such as moonlight, mystery, or gold foil details. I wanted to solve it with something more specific: what does after dark actually look like in an urban environment? Concrete, streetlight, wet pavement, the quiet stretch between one train and the next.

That question shaped everything downstream. An archetype chosen deliberately against category convention, Creator and Explorer rather than the more expected Lover or Magician. A material-first approach to the bottle and packaging. Sandblasted glass, a textured concrete-like cap, no gold, no ornament. And a running checklist I held every decision against throughout the project. 

The case study covers the strategy behind Nocturne, not just the finished system: positioning, personality, the reasoning behind each material and typography choice, and how those decisions translated into the bottle, packaging, and campaign work. 

I'd love to hear what you think, especially if you enjoy seeing the thinking behind a visual identity as much as the final result.

Check it out