My role: Logo design and type work
Sustainable desert luxury www.micaperfume.com
2024
MICA is an Arizona-based natural perfume brand with the intrinsic belief that being wildly creative and resourceful allows it to create a fingerprint of the desert and bottle it in a scent that reflects the area in which it was born. Inspired by the aromatic botany of the desert, MICA documents and pays homage to the vastness of the ecosystem and cultures it references the foundations of the brand. MICA is named after Mica Mountain, the highest peak in the Rincon Mountain District of Saguaro National Park. The journey to the Mica summit is made of saguaro cactus, low-growing shrubs and grasses, juniper, pinyon, oak woodlands, and an exquisite assemblage of scents. Encapsulating those scents they help consumers create a mindful self-care ritual that restores their soul from body to mind.
Brand profile and highlights
Small Batch Formulation. Each blend replicates the best that nature has to offer, drawing inspiration from the aromatic biodiversity of Mica Mountain and the surrounding areas. The formulas are a blend of natural and ethically sourced, human-made ingredients. By being intentional with the ingredients used, the brand lowers its impact without compromising on quality.
Partnership with Local Producers. Behind each of our scents, a consumer will find the expertise and craftsmanship of local partners who have accompanied the brand from the beginning. MICA works directly with a small network of local suppliers and retailers that specialize in native and locally cultivated plants and share our vision of desert conservation.
10% Back to Nature. A share of the proceeds are donated to conservation projects based in the Sonoran Desert. Every purchase supports this important work.
Sustainable, reliable, and natural, the wordmark embodies a responsible brand with a wealth of education and reliability to offer its consumers. Steering away from traditional logos with a polished geometric look, this logo concentrates on embodying a brand of ritualistic perfume with a wealth of knowledge. The heavier weight of the letterforms was inspired by the shapes of boulders and rocks that are found next to the cactus to create a full scene of the mountain and reflect the feeling of being there and seeing the surroundings with one's own eyes. The flow of the abstract cacti shape creates a smooth motion and movement, communicating a sense of growth, playfulness, and nature.
I chose the abstract shape reminiscent of a cacti that grows in Mika Mountain to tie the logo to the origin of the brand. It was a priority for the natural references to be the first thing consumers identified on the brand's packaging, as the unique formulation of natural ingredients is a crucial aspect in setting this brand apart from the heavily saturated perfume market.
From the brand language to packaging, I strived to create a cohesive feel of deep knowledge with a strong connection to the natural world. My goal was to create packaging that spotlighted the natural ingredients of the product while adopting a new packaging format that was both sustainable and broke the mold of what existed within perfume packaging; On the right is an example of drafts and old packaging.
