Patek Philippe Sculpted Invitation

Evoking days gone by with tudor grandeur and decadence, this sculpted invitation beckons you into London’s Middle Temple Hall. We used a myriad of techniques for this invitation design, all of which had their hand in producing the intricate finished result. Read on to see how we crafted these period pieces. 

The Client

These event invitations were crafted in 2014 for our long term client Patek Philippe, the world class watch brand. They were created for an exhibition and dinner in the heart of London.

The Brief

The brief was simple. Patek wanted us to create event invitations for their exhibition in London’s Middle Temple Hall. Both the invitation design and ideation  was left in our capable hands. 

The Process

This grand venue is 700 years old, and we wanted to reflect the rich history and ornate beauty in the invitation itself. One of the most iconic features of the hall is the decadent oak panelling throughout, in particular the entrance doors, which we knew were the perfect stimulus for the invitation design. 

To create the doors, we used paper marquetry to create tiered layers; we embossed and die-cut the sheets then layered them to form a 3D representation. This technique and detail is what enabled the doors to look like exact copies of the real thing.

On opening the ‘doors’ the white invitation is layered within the card using a plate mark. This technique is traditionally a printing fault where too much pressure is applied and the plate creates an indent. This is now used as a technique in its own right,  in order to produce this specific look. In this invitation, it perfectly frames the white card, giving it a slightly raised bold appearance. 

On this invite itself, we used silver die stamping, duplexing and foil blocking. Brown stamping against bright white cards with silver calligraphy brings the whole design together. On receiving the invitation, the recipient opens the doors, reflecting their real life journey through the venue.

The Result

The finished result were a set of exquisite event invitations, reflecting the beautiful venue graciously. 

Event Invitations, Presentation Boxes and More

At Downey, no project is out of reach. We can help you ideate and create the design of your dreams. Whether this be invitations, packaging  or  brochures.  Our experts  are here to help and guide you every step of the way. Please contact our team for information and guidance on how we can create a beautifully bespoke project tailored to you.