Stéphane Ouaknine

Stéphane Ouaknine is the scion of a revered Parisienne Pharmacy and, though pharmacists by occupation, his true vocation is that of a dreamer who's the love of great beauty and classic design has led him to bring to life La Société Parisienne de Savons. It has been my privilege to be a part of this project from the beginning during the search for reference materials through the sometimes complicated process of seeking out heirs to now-defunct companies and obtaining permission to revive stunning vintage designs that had all but ceased to exist. Working from faded scraps of ancient labels, I expanded upon the designs and created typography to extend them over complete suites of products.  All the while, Stéphane was lining up suppliers and manufacturers whom he felt could do justice the designs and maintain the strictest control over the quality of reproduction. Ending with an international website for which I fought stridently to keep from looking gimmicky, busy, distracting or (basically like most other overdone commerce websites), we will enter the new year poised to bring these products to those whose hearts resonate with love of beauty and authenticity. La Société Parisienne De Savons celebrates the elegance and style of Art Deco in a collection of subtly scented soaps, powders, balms and more in fragrances from the familiar to exotic with authentic vintage design and typography in homage to the lavish and elaborate packages of a bygone era.