OMSE’s identity for Peddlers Gin Co. combines the charm of sign-writing with functional expectation

Shanghai-born and bred, Peddlers Gin Co. excitingly continues both the legacies of secret societies in its concept and the legacy of sign-writing in its refined yet vivacious aesthetic, elegantly commanded by OMSE. A labour of love taking place over the course of three years, the London-based design studio were closely involved in the entire production, from its apothecary-esque glassware with its unique ringed shoulder, to the antique key and wax sealed invitation made for the product’s launch. Sending these invitations to hundreds of bartenders, Peddlers returned a week later with a limited-edition mahjong box smuggling Peddlers within the box’s secret compartment, only to be revealed if the code was correctly uncovered. In conversation with James Kape, OMSE’s Founder and Director, he explains “the typeface is an entirely bespoke one that we created with Family Type three years ago,” finding an abundance of inspiration in the sign-writing of early 20th Century China. “We actually hand-painted the letters on A3 sheets of paper first, then later digitised them one by one in Glyphs,” Kape remarks, noting that the primary typographic difficulty was the balancing act between English and Chinese text. Using the Chinese script in equal significance to the English text, acting as a similarly functional element rather than an appropriating decorative feature, Kape tells us that the disparity between the length each respective text meant “layouts often felt unbalanced when they included translations for both languages.” Supporting their custom typeface, whose structure conveys a peerless harmony between character and sophistication, is Noto Sans and German Typewriter; originally designed by Luke Woodhouse prior to further development, refinement and publishing by Family Type under the new name ‘Type Type’. Similarly conveying a refinement and humour akin to Peddlers’ custom type, the supportive pair have enough personality and interest to be striking in their own right whilst not detracting attention and over-complicating the brand’s aesthetic.