London-based and premium candle company, Mahn House, partnered with Fellow Studio to develop a new identity. The project was to champion the traditional manufacturing methods of candle making and focus on the craft and raw materials used.

Mahn House’s 100% vegan candles are hand-poured and produced in Suffolk. Processes of years past are used to define the aromas, which disperse to create a unique sense of place for the beholder. To capture this, Fellow designed a holistic brand identity that stands against the mass-produced alternatives. Through the process, a story of rich history emerged and further directed the brand to what it is today.

Projects at this South London studio follow a four-stage process.

Research
The company had a strong sense of place anchored to the Suffolk studio location. Historically, the Mahn House story started as a Bed & Breakfast, before becoming the founder’s childhood home. The name was decidedly a homage to this rich and meaningful setting.

Exploration
Fellow worked closely with the client to craft a brand inspired by nostalgia. They uncovered memories and experiences from the building’s surroundings and identified nuances in its history. Further to the design, it was clear that the identity would need to be unique to stand out from more generic alternatives, and also be retrained to maintain a minimalist and premium edge.

Development
Stirred by old print collateral from its days as a B&B, Fellow began crafting the bespoke logotype. Visual characteristics were adopted from the original logo to keep the family story alive. They then developed a silhouette illustration style, mimicking the shadows of a flame. The striking core red truly belongs to the brand, derived from the original sign left on the side of the building by the architect. These warmer tones and rich influences allow the brand to avoid the colder associations sometimes found in the luxury space.

Implementation
Once the brand was realised, Fellow worked to create packaging options for Mahn House’s product range. This entailed designs for the candle labels and boxes, along with delivery and unboxing considerations. The warmth and tactical nature of the brand’s visual identity were translated onto the paper stock and production methods. Marketing, social and digital brand assets were then created to solidify the experience from offline to online.