Badal Patel brings a ‘soft squishiness’ to Riven, embracing the potential for play in wellness

Flipping the oral health narrative of sterility on its head by introducing good bacteria into one’s daily practice, mouthwash brand Riven offers a new, contemporary take on looking after your mouth, your soul and yourself. In need of a compelling identity to match its forward-thinking approach, the company turned to LA and NYC-based creative director and designer Badal Patel to craft it, embracing Riven’s scientific and empathetic qualities through type, colour and character. “We chose Trois Mille for the logo and Favorit for the rest of the typography,” Patel tells us, “I was looking for something that was bold that had both a sharpness and soft squishiness to it,” she adds, recalling their use of Sharp Type’s sans serif as the primary typeface. “It sounds weird,” Patel suggests, “but I wanted to get a mouthfeel to the type so it felt like gums or teeth crevices without looking too gross or childish,” effortlessly achieving as much through the typeface’s playful construction, composition and contrast. “Favorit complemented that nicely,” she explains, “by adding that refined quality with a touch of character.” Patel’s infusion of consideration and character continued into her choice of colours, landing on a bold RGB blue as the hero of the brand; appearing routinely across the physical and digital brand spaces – from Riven’s website presence to its reusable glass bottles. Patel’s attitude towards colour, type and composition is also embraced in the brand’s prominent inclusion of embracing imagery. “The art direction and luminescent photography style were inspired by all the wonderful goodness and energy inside us,” she recalls, noting the industry’s stark, clinical aesthetics, trends and tropes. “Instead, we opted for a warm and glowy photo style and a bold blue reusable glass bottle for maximum visibility and unique tactility,” Patel concludes, “our goal was to bring the thoughtfulness and design sensibilities from the overall wellness space into the oral care category.”