Fleur du MalComing up Roses

Preparing an edgy lingerie brand to bloom beautifully

Love’s pleasures and pains formed the founding concept for lingerie line Fleur du Mal, bringing substance to a market that was centered solely on style. These dualities informed a poetic brand, rooted by a thorny logo that appears both strong and fragile, and adored by today’s biggest celebrities.
Named after French poet Baudelaire’s book Les Fleurs du Mal, the lingerie brand founded and designed by Jennifer Zuccarini is built around ideas of the complexities of love: passion and desire, yet longing and hurt. “The Evil Flowers,” as the title translates, perfectly captured this duality, and drove the concept for an identity that delicately balanced these elements.
This birthed an “F” monogram based on razor-sharp rose thorns, which appears at once structurally classic and strong, yet fragile and beautiful. Adding the tagline “Love Hurts,” the brand gained an aura that felt sensual yet sexy, elegant yet provocative, edgy yet chic, and playful yet timeless.
The theme of poetry was echoed in the brand voice, which comprised single words or clever compositions to create an air of mystery and sophistication. Along with the monogram, this was applied to minimalist packaging, from shopping bags to boxes. For the brand's store opening event, VIP invitations also emblazoned with the new identity were wrapped around bouquets of 40 red roses.
Eschewing the glossy, high-production look of many lingerie brands at the time, the art direction for Fleur du Mal was much more raw and avant-garde, creating a friction between the artistic and the commercial. The photography also formed shoppable vignettes on the website – a ground-breaking fusion of art and commerce, which contextualized the merchandise within an intimate environment designed to inspire discovery and cultivate desire.
Today, Fleur du Mal has firmly established itself in the market of ready-to-wear lingerie, and is a favorite of the world’s biggest supermodels, singers, actors and influencers. Miley Cyrus, Megan Thee Stallion, and Anya Taylor Joy are all recent #FleurGirls. The brand has opened an LA sister location to its original store in NYC, expanded into swimwear, and become a household name – all while retaining its sharp edge.

Love’s pleasures and pains formed the founding concept for lingerie line Fleur du Mal, bringing substance to a market that was centered solely on style. These dualities informed a poetic brand, rooted by a thorny logo that appears both strong and fragile, and adored by today’s biggest celebrities.

Named after French poet Baudelaire’s book Les Fleurs du Mal, the lingerie brand founded and designed by Jennifer Zuccarini is built around ideas of the complexities of love: passion and desire, yet longing and hurt. “The Evil Flowers,” as the title translates, perfectly captured this duality, and drove the concept for an identity that delicately balanced these elements.

This birthed an “F” monogram based on razor-sharp rose thorns, which appears at once structurally classic and strong, yet fragile and beautiful. Adding the tagline “Love Hurts,” the brand gained an aura that felt sensual yet sexy, elegant yet provocative, edgy yet chic, and playful yet timeless.

The theme of poetry was echoed in the brand voice, which comprised single words or clever compositions to create an air of mystery and sophistication. Along with the monogram, this was applied to minimalist packaging, from shopping bags to boxes. For the brand's store opening event, VIP invitations also emblazoned with the new identity were wrapped around bouquets of 40 red roses.

Eschewing the glossy, high-production look of many lingerie brands at the time, the art direction for Fleur du Mal was much more raw and avant-garde, creating a friction between the artistic and the commercial. The photography also formed shoppable vignettes on the website – a ground-breaking fusion of art and commerce, which contextualized the merchandise within an intimate environment designed to inspire discovery and cultivate desire.

Today, Fleur du Mal has firmly established itself in the market of ready-to-wear lingerie, and is a favorite of the world’s biggest supermodels, singers, actors and influencers. Miley Cyrus, Megan Thee Stallion, and Anya Taylor Joy are all recent #FleurGirls. The brand has opened an LA sister location to its original store in NYC, expanded into swimwear, and become a household name – all while retaining its sharp edge.