As Polari, a luxurious, queer, fragrance brand, began shaping its launch and needed a visual identity capable of expressing a highly specific point of view: premium, and unapologetically queer: built for men who like men. The goal was to refine and systematize the existing direction while creating a foundation flexible enough to support future products and personas.

Translate a highly specific cultural and emotional positioning into a cohesive visual system

Balance coded sophistication with accessibility and contemporary luxury

Avoid generic gay fragrance tropes while maintaining clarity and restraint

Create an identity flexible enough to scale across future scents and applications

Develop visual elements that feel intentional, discreet, and recognizably Polari

Conducted a high-level visual scan of relevant and adjacent brands to identify positioning opportunities

Created a visual discovery and mood board to align on tone, references, and emotional direction

Created the color palette using color psychology and queer-coded visual semiotics

Defined a scalable typography system with clear hierarchy using web-ready typefaces

Designed a new Polari logo system, exploring multiple black-and-white concepts before refining a final direction

Developed a custom glyph system as a coded communication layer, designed to expand across products and future releases

Polari now has a sensual, dark, and elevated visual identity rooted in its cultural purpose: honoring queer history, through references to the Polari language, while continuing to support the progress of the gay community today. The design balances heritage and modernity, creating a brand language where logo, color, typography, and glyphs work together as a unified, visual system across all brand touchpoints.

With a strong visual foundation in place, Polari is positioned to expand its product line, introduce new personas, and evolve its brand expression without reworking its core identity.