La Diplomate

Agency: Rice Creative
Type of work: Commercial
Country: Vietnam

La Diplomate celebrates tea. They offer 60+ teas from all over the world. We created the visual identity, and packaging solutions for the gorgeous 18th century storefront which sits on a quaint pedestrian lane in the center of Bordeaux, France, a newly labeled UNESCO World Heritage site. We sought a bolder look for tea as we found their offering to be a head spinning array of complex flavors. First a story was developed about this mysterious Diplomate who once traveled the world in search of the rarest, finest teas. From here we created her likeness in a simple mark. We combined modernist type with classic detailing for a look which is not time specific. One can experience the history and colorful complexity of tea at La Diplomate. The interior is the result of Thomas Daviet, an interior designer based in London, who commissioned Rice Creative to develop the brand and design the visual identity and packaging. As well as the tea, the space and the brand identity have been inspired by a mix of references through History and Geography: a timeless design for an ancient product. Original features of the shop, include a 17th century fireplace, metallic office ceiling from the 80’s, and guilded detailing. Just like the Lady Diplomate, this shop is from an undisclosed time. She is independent, chic and open to the world.