Denny's Gin Collection

The Denny’s Gin Collection commends the incredible and pioneering work of William Denny & Brothers shipbuilding in Dumbarton (1840-1963). The company are notably known for the building of The Cutty Sark, which would become a key feature in my project. During its time on the water, The Cutty Sark was a tea clipper ship operating between London and China. As a nod to its tea trading era, I decided my unique selling point would be to include a selection of teas which could be infused in the gin. Tea was consumed greatly across the UK and was evident with Victorian Tea Parties. This helped me to identify the popular teas of this time and in turn, resulted in the final selection of Jasmine, Darjeeling and Earl Grey. Each tea box carries forward a different pattern inspired by Victorian floor tiling. The patterns themselves are very elegant and sophisticated – attributes that can be seen in the details of the Cutty Sark ship. The Denny’s logo was inspired from the blue elephant logo, which the company displayed on a flag inside the shipyard. The elephant is also visible in the Dumbarton Coat of arms and is also the mascot for our local football team. I really liked the idea of using the elephant and keeping that direct link back to Dumbarton. I approached the design with a minimalist and modernised style.