Persian Apothecary is a Tea Collection inspired by the richness and complexity of Iran. The blends are a reflection of Sheyda Monshizadeh-Azar’s “imperfect” memories, her Iranian heritage and her experiences whilst living and travelling in Iran. She entrusted us with the development of her product, from the Brand Strategy to the last detail of Packaging. We had the opportunity to discover her culture and recognize ourselves in it.

The logotype aims to communicate the Persian heritage and its historic and cultural richness. Is inspired by the straight lines of Persepolis’ cuneiform script. And because its curved strokes and endings resemble calligraphic writing.

The icon is an expression of a feeling of displacement and connection at the same time. It is inspired by the patterns and the sense of sublime tranquility that one experiences in Islamic buildings. This “pattern inspired graphic” is housed by a vault, a clear reference to Persian culture, the house of our brand.

Our Creative Direction is an ode to literature, because only with hundreds of pages we could equate what the taste and the aromas provoke in us. The names of the teas are like the title of a book, they do not mention the flavours, but the memory they evoke.

We used a single photograph on each of the packages, referencing the cover of a book. This image is also a clue to the scents that will be released once the packaging is opened. All photos used in the packaging (except for Driving in Tehran) were taken by Tahmineh Monzavi, an Iranian photographer whose works have been exhibited in museums in several countries, and published by international art magazines and books.

Each tea packaging is accompanied by a poem chosen by Sheyda, which is presented in English on one side and in Farsi on the other side of the box. The following is the one featured in The Shah’s Earl Grey.