Dernier & Hamlyn
Dernier & Hamlyn: Redefining Light Artistry Through Strategic Brand Evolution. When heritage meets innovation. Dernier & Hamlyn stands as one of the United Kingdom's oldest and most distinguished lighting design houses. Since 1888, the company has illuminated some of the world's finest properties, creating exceptional light art for luxury hotels, prestigious commercial spaces and exclusive hospitality venues across the globe.
This remarkable provenance, spanning more than a century of British craftsmanship, demanded a brand identity that could honour legacy whilst embracing contemporary vision. Felix&Friends were asked to undertake a comprehensive brand transformation, crafting a new strategic narrative that would position Dernier & Hamlyn at the forefront of modern light artistry whilst celebrating the mastery and precision that defines their heritage work.
Strategic Brand Development
The challenge lay in balancing two distinct yet complementary identities: a custodian of traditional lighting techniques and a pioneer of contemporary light design. Rather than choosing between these positions, the strategy embraced both, positioning Dernier & Hamlyn as unique practitioners who seamlessly integrate time-honoured artisan skills with cutting-edge technologies such as 3D printing and advanced engineering.
The new brand narrative centres on 'Light Artistry', elevating the company beyond functional lighting manufacture into the highly bespoke sculptural pieces that transform spaces. This positioning acknowledges that each piece created is not merely illumination, but an artwork precision-engineered to enhance its destined environment.
Core Values and Messaging
Seven defining values emerged to anchor the brand: Ambitious, Innovative, Authoritative, Collaborative, Design-focused, Future-focused and Detail-oriented. These principles inform every aspect of communication, from client presentations to technical specifications.
Key messaging pillars emphasise British manufacturing excellence, client-centric collaboration, exceptional scope of capability, and the marriage of heritage provenance with contemporary vision. The language deliberately avoids the weighted, ornate phrasing typical of legacy brands, instead using confident, measured prose that reflects both the company's energy and its sophisticated design philosophy.
Visual Identity and Application
The brand identity centres on a refined custom logotype with a crafted and distinctive ampersand, paired with a sophisticated colour palette of Dark Mahogany and Pearl. This visual system conveys prestige and craftsmanship whilst maintaining versatility across applications.
The primary typeface for statements and headlines is sophisticated, confident and selected for its elegant authority. The typography hierarchy ensures that technical complexity translates into clear, impactful communication.
Comprehensive Guidelines
Felix&Friends developed extensive brand guidelines encompassing every touchpoint: stationery systems, proposal decks, presentation folders, digital signatures, and advertising templates for both print and digital media. Each application maintains the delicate balance between heritage gravitas and contemporary dynamism.
The photography style emphasises both wide environmental shots and intimate macro details, revealing the alchemy of materials and finishes that distinguish bespoke work. Every image captures not just the lighting installations themselves, but their transformative effect on exceptional spaces.