“As people become more aware of their travel privilege, brands are helping to alleviate feelings of guilt by providing purpose-driven travel experiences that put local residents first and ensure tourism spending remains in the country.” The Future Lab, Future Forecast 2019.

When owners Stephen and Lisa first invited us to be part of their project, there was an interesting tension between connection and disconnection in the luxury travel market. Instead of ornate precursors of wealth, the luxury traveller pursued memorable and authentic experiences that would nurture meaningful relationships. By contrast, in an era of digital hyper-connectivity and the ‘stress is success’ ethos, travellers were also looking for an opportunity to disconnect from their everyday lives and retreat into a new, tranquil environment.

We based the property’s core message on the idea of being 'in-reach' yet 'out-of-reach. Guests are ‘in-reach’ of the historical sites, local community, restaurants, and some of the best vineyards in the world, yet ‘out-of- reach’ of the throng of tourists, separated by a beautiful walled garden with a view of historic battlements from the patio and swimming pool. Whilst most other properties in the area can only offer one or the other, their guests would be able to enjoy the best the region has to offer whilst being able to retreat into absolute privacy, peace and quiet.

We used the positioning of total immersion with the concept of ‘in-reach, out-of-reach’ to inform all aspects of our creative direction. We began this process by finding a name for the property, looking for something that would link the property's walled garden and proximity to the village with the area’s history and wine making.

Saint-Émilion’s history goes back to Roman times. The town is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, with Romanesque churches and ruins stretching all along steep and narrow streets. The Romans planted vineyards in what was to become Saint-Émilion as early as the 2nd century. In the 4th century, the Latin poet Ausonius lauded the fruit of the bountiful vine. Saint-Émilion, previously called Ascumbas, was renamed after the monk Émilion settled in a hermitage carved into the rock in the 8th century. The monks who followed him started up the commercial wine production in the area.

In Latin the noun ‘pomœria’ describes a stretch of land just within the boundary of a Roman town or city. A sacred plot, outside of the bustle of the centre but protected within the parameters of the region. Feeling as antiquated as the region’s history, we felt that this name embodied the message we wanted to communicate and extend throughout the tone of voice and copywriting.

Having established the name we then looked for the right typeface to bring the name to life. Silk Serif stood out as a font that alluded to Roman letters carved in stone whilst conveying a contemporary elegance. This became the primary font with the logo being modified with chisled brakes in the letters referencing the dilapidated city wall circling Saint-Émilion. We also used a ligature linking the O and E to emphasis the Latin origins of the name.

For the colour palette we drew on the environment of the region, the green of the surrounding vineyards, the Burgundy of the wine, and the limestone of Saint-Émilion’s stone architecture. Sitting on soft limestone colour washes, we created illustration's for the flowers used to provide the latin names of each room, along with aspects of the property, food and wine, and the views beyond the wall. The photography direction drew on the ‘in-reach, out-of-reach’ concept, juxtaposing macro images of flowers, nature and household objects with the interior design, architecture and landscape of the region. All of this came together in print materials, digital assets and website.