Overview

This candle was designed in collaboration with Juana Hernandez of the 225 Project. It was produced exclusively for BOA Steakhouse by Iconic Scents as their signature scent and exclusive restaurant candle. It is an 8 oz. hand-poured candle in a sumptuous black matte glass votive. The warm base notes of tobacco reflect the classic atmosphere of BOA steakhouse while the rich vanilla highlights add to the complexity of the scent and cleanly balance this perfectly polished fragrance.

the boa x iconic brand collaboration was rooted in a shared reverence for the experiential. As brands, Iconic Scents and BOA Steakhouse are both dedicated to creating and fostering incredible, unforgettable moments. The BOA candle is an ode to the sensory, the intangible, and the memorable. The vessel had to reflect this thematically while also aligning aesthetically with the BOA steakhouse brand.

The Work

PRODUCT DESIGN

BRAND PARTNERSHIP STRATEGY

Approach

STRATEGY

BOA Steakhouse has been a fixture of the Los Angeles dining scene for two decades. With it’s flagship restaurant on Sunset Boulevard it has been a perennial West Hollywood hot spot, but in the last two years it has gained a cult following among the upper echelon of Tik Tok influencers. A recent New York Times article put it this way:

“For Gen Z influencers looking to see and be seen in Los Angeles, there’s only one place to go: BOA Steakhouse. On any given night, the crowd at the West Hollywood restaurant is a who’s who of the internet.”

“BOA Steakhouse Is Where Influencers Go to See and Be Seen.” The New York Times, August 26, 2020, https://www.nytimes.com/2020/08/26/style/boa-steakhouse-tiktok-youtube.html.

When Iconic Scents was invited to do a brand collaboration with the steakhouse, we were very intentional about matching the design of the product as well as the fragrance formulation to the highly specific aesthetic of the restaurant. Our first step was to sit down with the executive team of Innovating Dining Group who founded and own BOA Steakhouse to understand the brand’s story, evolution, and current market positioning. We wanted to capture the essence and vision foundational to BOA’s identity.

EXECUTION

We created a mood board of visual themes that resonated with the brand and started sketching initial design concepts and sourcing color palettes and product finishes. We decided on a black matte for the glass vessel and a soft touch matte finish with spot UV gloss for the packaging. We kept the color palette simple and elegant in the brand’s signature black hue accented with white text and dual logo lockups.