Bespoke Chilli Place Names

River Island x Samie Elishi Launch Dinner – Bespoke Chilli Place Names

For the launch of the new River Island x Samie Elishi collection in Central London, I was invited to create bespoke calligraphy place names for an intimate brand event dinner.

Rather than traditional paper place cards, the creative team wanted something unexpected that would reflect the bold personality of the collection. Their vision was to use vibrant red chillies as place settings, creating a striking pop of colour across the tablescape and an unforgettable first impression for guests.

Calligraphy on organic surfaces always presents a unique challenge, as no two items are ever identical. Each chilli varied in size, shape, texture and curvature, requiring careful consideration before any lettering could begin.

Drawing on my experience as a luxury calligrapher working across unconventional surfaces, I individually selected and matched each chilli to the guest's name, ensuring the lettering would sit beautifully and remain legible.

Each name was handwritten in white calligraphy and finished with two coats of ink to create a bold, opaque finish that contrasted elegantly against the deep red chillies.

Guests were delighted to discover their names handwritten on such an unexpected surface, while photographs of the tablescape were widely shared
The finished place settings became a talking point of the evening and perfectly complemented the creative direction of the launch.

Guests were delighted to discover their names handwritten on such an unexpected surface, while photographs of the tablescape were widely shared across social media throughout the event.

This project demonstrated how bespoke calligraphy can transform even the smallest event detail into a memorable brand experience.

The finished place settings became a talking point of the evening

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