Maybe the recent explosion in astrology is thanks to a more secular society; or a post-Covid sense of generalised uncertainty that’s left us grasping for answers. Perhaps it’s the rise of Instagram/TikTok influencers; or maybe it’s just because its foundations lie in astronomical reality that’s been harnessed by civilisations stretching back tens of thousands of years.

Whatever it is, where we were once content with the reductive stereotypes around Geminis being ‘two-faced’, Scorpios as sexy and a bit terrifying, and Libras as ‘balanced’; now, it’s hardly unusual for people (let’s be realistic, mostly women) to know their Rising Sign and Moon Sign, and to mutter something about Mercury being in retrograde whenever the printer breaks down.

But while creative types have long been captivated by the aesthetic potential of things like Tarot (see Sophy Hollington’s gorgeous linocut designs, for instance); it seems they’ve not quite caught up when it comes to the fascinating world of astrology, despite its reliance on the sort of symbols that graphics nerds often go wild for.

That’s why it was so refreshing to see these designs for TWELV. by Auckland-based design studio Seachange. TWELV. sells luxury gift boxes to corporate and individual customers that are personalised according to the recipients’ star sign, and according to Seachange, the brand ‘reimagines the world of astrology in a contemporary way’.

Seachange worked across the brand identity, tone of voice and copywriting, art direction and photography, site design and development, packaging, illustration and all other printed collateral for TWELV., choosing the name as a reference to the 12 signs of the zodiac. The  ‘ethereal and otherworldly’ brand design looked to reflect TWELV.’s position as a ‘contemporary, thoughtful and unique alternative’ in a ‘world of corporate, bland and wasteful gift pack offerings’.

The brand name and the meaning behind it were used as the starting point for the designs. Seachange opted for a typography-led system in which each of the 12 signs is given a number ‘according to the astrological chart’, says the studio, starting with Aries as number one and ending with Pisces at 12. Each of these uses Roman numerals to tie them back to the main TWELV. brand logo, which appears as ‘X.II.’ set in Agentur. The calligraphic sans serif typeface  from Oslo-based Good Type Foundry has a fittingly esoteric vibe about it, at once bewitchingly archaic, playfully New Age-ish, and seamlessly modern.

That same typeface carries throughout the identity, always styled as uppercase. It’s seen on all main brand copy, as well as spelling out each zodiac sign name on the gift boxes’ custom tissue wrap and personalised card. According to Seachange, it chose to use Agentur thanks to the way its appearance nods to the origin and history of astrology with its calligraphic-inspired letterforms, while offering ‘a contemporary touch for a fashion-forward sensibility’. Agentur is supported by the secondary font Assistant, a simple sans serif that sits back and lets the main brand type take centre stage.

Each of the 12 astrological symbols is represented by a unique illustration, rendered in a strikingly simple style that prizes ‘beautiful curves, negative space and symmetry’. Abstracted and blacked out to their simplest forms, each symbol becomes thoroughly modern and timeless – as well as being ‘uniquely ownable to TWELV.,’ according to Seachange, making them perfect not just for the individual products and boxes, but also brilliantly versatile brand elements in themselves.

The 12 signs are also distinguished by their unique colour. Seachange chose a selection of powerful, slightly unusual tones: they’re not vibrant, punchy colours that would feel perhaps too playful for such a high-end brand, but instead have a depth to them – even in the paler shades like Pisces’ light teal. ‘This palette enables brand outputs to be further personalised, and acts as a useful tool in differentiating communication pieces designed to speak to specific zodiacs,’ Seachange explains.

To unify the 12 symbol illustrations around the main TWELV. brand, Seachange ensured that each image uses a subtle ‘mystical star’ icon. This appears in the ‘eye’ of each creature, such as the Cancer crab, Sagittarius archer, or the Libran figure that appears as a set of personified scales.

The brand is further tied together with a suite of photographic brand imagery that looks to showcase TWELV.’s range of products ‘in an ethereal way’, the studio adds. ‘Gel lighting has been cleverly used to reference the night sky – the force that underpins astrology’.

The look and feel is perfect for a brand that takes astrology – an often unfairly maligned field – and places it in a context that’s both thoroughly contemporary and high end. Firmly moving astrology beyond Russell Grant, TWELV.’s branding demands to be both enjoyed, and taken seriously.