Strategic design meets thoughtful storytelling. This portfolio showcases a selection of brand, communication, and campaign work—created to connect, engage, and inspire.
Very Vanilla is a boutique bakery based in the Cotswold, England known for elegant bespoke wedding cakes and thoughtful, hand-finished details. I collaborated with the founder to bring a consistent brand identity to life, working across packaging and printed materials, as well as crafting custom illustrations to use as thank-you gifts for her clients.
This project also served as a coursework brief to develop a full brand book: defining the visual identity, tone of voice, and design guidelines to help the brand grow. My role combined creative strategy, hands-on design, and sustainable material selection to deliver a cohesive, elevated experience.
THE CHALLENGE
To elevate a small brand’s visual identity and create thoughtful printed pieces that matched the high-end, hand-crafted nature of the product. We also wanted the packaging to reflect the owner’s commitment to sustainability and personal touch, all while maintaining a minimalist, modern aesthetic.
MY ROLE
Brand identity development
Art direction and editorial design
Packaging design (gift tags on seeded paper)
Letterpress production and material sourcing
Illustration (cake drawings as client gifts)
Layout design for brand book (coursework)
1. Discovery & Brand Alignment
Understanding the vision and values behind the brand
Very Vanilla is a boutique wedding cake studio known for its charming, handcrafted creations. I began by aligning with the founder on her brand values—whimsy, elegance, and a personal touch—and gathered inspiration from her cakes, packaging needs, and customer experience goals.
2. Concept Development & Collaboration
Exploring visuals, materials, and sustainable touches
Together, we explored visual directions that felt soft and joyful, pairing natural textures and muted pastels. The final gift tag design was letterpress printed on plantable wildflower seed paper, combining beauty with sustainability and offering customers a sweet keepsake.
3. Tone of Voice & Messaging
Words that feel warm, personal, and playful
Messaging needed to feel as thoughtful as the cakes themselves. We focused on short, friendly copy like “A little treat, made with love” or “Thank you for supporting a small slice of joy.” The tone is simple, sweet, and sincere—just like the brand.
Moodboard / Inspiration
A mix of soft neutrals, delicate textures, and romantic visuals—designed to capture the warmth and charm of Daisy’s brand, with a touch of modern simplicity.
Logo Development
Explored serif and handwritten styles to reflect the handcrafted, elegant feel of the brand before refining the final wordmark for clarity and charm.
Color Palette & Typography
A soft, natural palette of almond and cream paired with classic serif fonts—evoking timelessness, approachability, and attention to detail.
Packaging Development
Worked closely with Daisy to create packaging that felt as thoughtful as her cakes, from sustainable plantable gift tags to custom illustrations and messaging.
Final Design
The finished elements brought everything together: letterpress gift tags, elegant illustrations, and subtle touches that reflected the heart of the brand.
Brand Book
A curated look at the finished assets in the wild: print, packaging, and thoughtful touches that bring the brand to life.
Cake Illustration Prints
These hand-drawn cake illustrations were created as thoughtful gifts for Daisy’s wedding clients. I helped refine and enhance her original sketches, preparing them for print so each couple received a beautiful keepsake of their custom cake design—extending the brand experience beyond the bake.
Letterpress Gift Tags
Printed on plantable wildflower seed paper, these tags add a beautiful, sustainable touch to every cake box. Paired with simple twine and navy packaging, the result is both charming and thoughtful.
REFLECTIONS & RESULTS
This project was a wonderful example of small business collaboration, where design had a direct, tangible impact. The final packaging was not only beautiful and brand-aligned but also sustainable, something the founder felt strongly about.
The brand book has helped Very Vanilla maintain consistency across social and client touchpoints, and our work together sparked further collaborations. This project also gave me the opportunity to blend digital design, hand illustration, and letterpress printing into a unified creative outcome.
