project type: rebrand + packaging design.
my role: brand strategy + copywriting.
Germain-Robin
the ultimate expression of California Brandy.
team. Force Majeure
creative direction by Pierre Delebois
All photography belongs to Force Majeure
story. Germain-Robin set out to reintroduce itself as the brandy of choice for connoisseurs. The task: preserve the founders’ ethos of artisanal, uncompromising quality while creating a premium identity and packaging that would position the brand among the world’s finest spirits.
approach. We immersed ourselves in the world of Germain-Robin, drawing inspiration from Mendocino’s majestic redwood forests — a natural cathedral of towering trees and filtered light. This symbolism shaped the visual identity and packaging, positioning Germain-Robin as the quintessential spirit of California: authentic, artisanal, and uncompromising. The result is a brand that honors its origins while embracing a clean, unembellished expression of modern luxury.
Germain-Robin began in 1982 as the unlikely union of two creative minds: Ansley Cole, a professor, and Hubert Germain-Robin, a Cognac distiller. The two partnered to create Germain-Robin, the first California brandy that broke free from the constraints of Cognac. Embracing the rich tradition of hand distillation while harnessing the potential of California wine, they set a new standard of excellence in brandy that has been recognized worldwide.
Germain-Robin continues that tradition today – advancing the art of fine California brandy into a new era.