the brief

Kōen is a studio of three potters who fire a wood kiln four times a year and sell almost everything within days. Orders came by email and through a friend’s Instagram account, and the potters spent more time answering messages than throwing.

the approach

We drew a small mark from the studio’s kiln stamp and paired it with a quiet Japanese and Latin typeface. The shop is built around the firing: each one gets a short film of the kiln being opened, a list of pieces and the date the shop opens.

Every piece is photographed on the same grey board in the same north light, so glaze colours are honest on screen. Shipping, packing and returns are explained in one plain paragraph, in Japanese and English.

the outcome

The last three firings sold out in under two hours, with a third of orders from outside Japan. The potters now answer about ten emails a week.