Case Study — Spec Brand
Dark alternative feminine. Dangerous red, not romantic red.
Category
Luxury Fragrance
Deliverables
Editorial · Product Static · Motion
Tools
Photoshop · After Effects
Pieces
3 total
Aesthetic
Dark Alternative Feminine
Palette
Deep Crimson — Near Black — Silver
Typography
Bodoni — Full Caps — Wide Tracking
Reference
Urban Decay · Juliette Has a Gun
01
Rouge — Editorial Composite
Model on deep red satin with the ROUGE bottle composited at the base of the frame. Bodoni copy at wide tracking in the upper left. The image was colour graded to compress the shadows and push the crimson tones to the edge — the contrast between the dark figure and the glowing satin surface does the selling. Photoshop.
02
Rouge — Product Static
Bottle on dark satin with a near-black background. The cap was desaturated and darkened to recede into the composition — the bottle label becomes the focal point. Colour world pulled from the same crimson palette as the hero ad to keep the campaign cohesive. Photoshop.
03
Rouge — Motion
The ROUGE wordmark materialises through a wispy, organic dissolve. The reveal feels less like an animation and more like something emerging from darkness. Built in After Effects.
Creative Direction
Dark alternative feminine energy. Urban Decay, Juliette Has a Gun, Vivienne Westwood adjacency. Fashion-forward, not mainstream. Dark without being Gothic. The woman who wears ROUGE is not trying to be liked.
Typography & Tone
Bodoni in full caps at 400–600 tracking. White at 85–90% opacity. Copy is declarative, not descriptive — "Wear the Dark." is a command, not a tagline. No softness, no warmth in the language.
Colour & Atmosphere
Deep crimson #8B0000 — Near black #080808 — Silver hardware accents. Dangerous red, not romantic red. The palette should feel like a bruise at midnight, not a valentine.
Work With Me
I take on a limited number of retainer clients each month. If you’re serious about your creative, let’s talk.