When I started Drift & Dwell, I thought I needed fragrance oils. Turns out what I actually needed was seventeen versions of a logo.
Then twenty-three label revisions. Then different labels. Then slightly different labels. Then labels that looked suspiciously similar to the labels I had three versions ago.
I have redesigned this brand so many times that if you showed me my original concepts, I'd probably critique them like they belonged to someone else.
"Interesting direction."
"Not sure about the font."
"Who approved this?"
Me.
I approved it.
The funny thing is, none of the big business stuff has been the challenge. The LLC? Fine. The website? Fine. The products? Fine.
The challenge has been me waking up every few weeks and deciding I have suddenly become a completely different person with completely different opinions about typography.
Drift & Dwell started with a yin-yang logo. Then there was smoke. Then I decided the smoke was too much. Then I decided everything was too much.
I discovered minimalist fragrance brands and spent an unreasonable amount of time staring at typography, which is ironic because my natural design style lives somewhere between “more” and “just one more thing.”
Somewhere around redesign number twelve, I stopped asking, “Does this look good?” and started asking, “Does this actually feel like Drift & Dwell?”
And now, I say “final” loosely.
Because give me one more week on the internet and anything can happen.
And by final, I mean final until next Tuesday.
But somewhere between all the redesigns, packaging samples, label orders, box orders, and the endless sentence: "I just want to change one little thing..." a real business appeared.
The shelves are full. The products are made. The launch date is approaching. And for the first time, there are more finished products than unfinished ideas. Which is impressive, because I have a lot of ideas.
So here's to the final stretch.
Or at least the version of the final stretch that survives long enough to make it to launch day.
And if you have been following along, thank you for surviving all twelve logo revisions, seventeen packaging debates, and my ongoing inability to leave well enough alone.
We are almost there...Maybe.