INTERGALACTIC WORLDBUILDING
Teaming up with LUSH for a third year in a row, we were asked to explore a galaxy of explosive colour, nostalgia, and comforting scent that goes far beyond the ordinary!
Service
Art Direction | Character Design | Worldbuilding
Client / Brand
LUSH Cosmetics
Production Company
Feral Child
The Lushiverse
The development of the Lushiverse marked a natural evolution from the brand's earlier characterizations of the Snow Fairy and Lord of Misrule collections. Drawing from the narrative crafted by Realm Runner Studios, our attention centered on the popular bath bomb, Intergalactic, serving as the foundational universe for the characters and evolving story.
Feral Child was tasked with ideating the planets based on their scent groups, which encompassed the overall design, structural makeup, climate, fauna & flora, planetary cultures, and religion/spirituality.
Through Lush Intergalactic, fans are invited to embark on a cosmic odyssey through a lovingly constructed world, immersing themselves in a sensory-rich experience that ignites imagination and wonder.
Our design philosophy for the Intergalactic Solar System revolved around the concept of submerging oneself in a cosmic bath, where the swirling hues and glitter of ancient bath bombs come to life, expanding into a dazzling spectacle of color.
Intergalactic Characters
Building upon the character development we did in 2021 and 2022 for the LUSH Snow Fairy and Lord of Misrule ranges, we have continued to design unique characters for the expansion of the brand's lore. This time round, we dove into the development of Bath B.O.T, LUSH's latest tech, as well as a few aggrieved 'Discons'; characterizations of the much loved but discontinued ranges.
The Intergalactic SOLAR SYSTEM
Building a system to inform various media
Our intricate process of worldbuilding transcended traditional boundaries, extending its influence into immersive media, such as the Lush Intergalactic experience at Central London's public Outernet space.
By meticulously crafting these detailed planets, settings and diverse characters we laid the foundation for captivating experiences that blur the lines between advertising and entertainment. Through the layered approach of storytelling, technology, and immersive design, such experiences not only entertain but also inspire and invite exploration, demonstrating the profound impact of world-building beyond traditional mediums.
The Intergalactic worldbuilding also made it's way into traditional OOH and Print mediums, such as a sprawling hand painted mural in Whitechapel, and the Lush Times newspaper.
Snowflora Planet
The homeworld of Snow Fairy and Lord of Misrule. A planet made up of two ancient worlds whose common orbits around the black hole led to them merging into one celestial body.
Near the border where the two ancient planets merge. The terrain is a combination of the large, soft flora of Snow Fairy and the harder surface of Lord of Misrule’s planet. As one ventures into Snow Fairy’s region, one passes into a thicker iridescent atmosphere, created by the jelly and plasma-like makeup of the planet.
Within Lord of Misrule's green region, we find ourselves at the base of the colossal tree of life, the conscious energy source of the planet. The Lord of Misrule has a deep subconscious connection to his planet through this awe inspiring entity; it drives the creative chaos inside him.
On the other end of the combined planetary body we are surrounded by the pink atmosphere that is at the heart of Snow Fairy’s world. Here the terrain is predominantly of a soft, jelly and plasma-like texture.
CITRUS PLANET
The planet consists of floating continents and islands, which encircle a vast jelly ocean. The ocean glows at night, lit up by the rare citrus crystal that forms the core of the plane.
A primarily cliff-based community, they enjoy their world appreciating the simple life. The inhabitants of Citrus Planet fish, farm and live organic healthy lives.
The planet’s core is composed of the rare Citrus crystal - too dangerous to mine.
This gave rise to community myths that hint at what lurks in the depths of the beautiful jelly oceans below.
Rose Floral Planet
The smallest of the planetary bodies, this captivating celestial realm is exclusively devoted to the cultivation of two extraordinary floral wonders – the renowned Pink Rose and the enigmatic Black Rose. This unique planet is divided into two distinct factions, each with its own distinctive approach to the art of rose cultivation...
The world is contained within a cosmic bubble that creates and maintains the perfect conditions for rose farming.
The majority of the planet's inhabitants belong to the jolly, high-tech faction, wholeheartedly dedicated to the cultivation and propagation of the beloved Pink Rose. These skilled cultivators employ eco-friendly technology and advanced agricultural methods to ensure the vibrant hues and exquisite fragrance of the Pink Roses thrive under their watchful care.
With a cheerful atmosphere permeating their high-tech farms, this faction takes pride in the mass production of the iconic blooms, spreading joy and beauty throughout the cosmos.
In stark contrast, a secretive and elusive group exists on the fringes of the planet's society. This mysterious faction is devoted to the cultivation of the rare Black Rose, an endeavor shrouded in secrecy and mystique.
Cloaked in an aura of intrigue, these enigmatic cultivators keep their practices hidden from the prying eyes of the majority, carefully tending to their precious flowers with an almost reverential devotion.
From the surface, the thick gaseous atmosphere creates a psychedelic prismatic effect in the sky. Enormous mountains of various sedimented spice layers tower over the planet with the largest even extending into outer space.
Giant awe-inspiring spice gods walk the plains, admired by the relaxed nomadic communities who live amongst the mountains.
The world's first scented mural!
Our designs made their way into the streets of London, as a massive scented mural. crafted with spray painting techniques in mind, an additional layer of UV paint was incorporated to illuminate Bath B.O.T's journey through the Intergalactic Solar System, enhancing its visual impact!
Paging through Lush Times, our character designs made an appearance in a 'Which Lush character are you?' challenge, and a fun retro comic strip
Comic strip illustration by David Cousins