Based in the heart of Bordeaux, independent design studio Abmo was co-founded by consultant Sonia Cordier and designer Dezyderiusz Gusta in 2013. Abmo’s name comes from ‘Il faut être absolument moderne’ [‘You have to be absolutely modern’], a quotation from French poet Arthur Rimbaud that embodies their commitment to forward-thinking design.
The studio’s approach to ‘brand narrative’ coincided with the vision of Guia Besana, Italian photographer and founder of handmade botanical soap brand Zagara Wolf, who has worked with Abmo on several projects.
The 100% plant-based brand includes soap packaging, thank you cards and business cards featuring illustrations of a character named Zagara who is a ‘half-wolf, half-woman herbal-hunter, walking through the plains of a Greek island harvesting plants’. This persona brought a mystical dimension to the brand that the Abmo team amplified through their design decisions, namely the choice of Basteleur, a typeface which was created by graphic designer Keussel, who worked in the studio at the time.
The team decided on Materica paper for its texture and natural colours, saying ‘It’s the perfect match for packaging handcrafted soap that embodies wilderness, gentle power and the magic of nature’.
With a focus on craft and high-quality production, the packaging was printed and finished by French luxury printer Atelier Bulk, a long-time partner of Abmo, which specialises in fluorescent hot stamping. This print method was applied to the soap packaging in brilliant yellow and the cards in pearlescent silver.
Paper: Materica Clay, Materica Ardesia