Darren Romanelli is a fashion surgeon: a designer committed to the cause of breathing new life into pre-existing cultural elements to create something neither entirely old nor entirely new, but definitely entirely original. Thrilled with the work Project 13 performed in branding 181 Martel, his Los Angeles salon, Romanelli asked us to develop branding elements for his partnership with Jaeger-LeCoultre to celebrate the release of Reverso Romanelli, Dr. Romanelli’s unique twist on the Swiss watchmaker’s classic rotating timepiece.

Project 13 designed unique “business cards” for the line, featuring the good doctor’s signature red cross and scissors. The translucent cards, produced by a credit/gift card company we sourced, were distributed to buyers, trendsetters and celebrities at launch events in Isetan, Japan and Colette, France.

For the events, we designed large backlit signage showcasing the watch and jackets designed by Dr. Romanelli, and partnered with New York-based artist/sculptor Robert Hite to develop window displays. To ensure proper installation, we also produced mock-ups as the displays were being created to prevent any mishaps.

The events were a smashing success, and the Project 13 designs were a huge hit, with guests clamoring for the cards we designed as a collectible memento.