Scene of a small wooden table with a bottle of Faccia Brutto aperitivo, two orange cocktails, a plate of toasts, a bowl of nuts, and three people seated around it in a cozy setting.

Hotel Xacuan

CREATIVE PRODUCTION / ART DIRECTION / PROP STYLING / SET DESIGN / NAMING / BRANDING / FONT DESIGN / PRINT DESIGN

ADDITIONAL CREDITS:
Photography: Kyle Dorosz
Wardrobe Styling: Danielle Wood
Food & Drink Styling: Emilie Fosnocht
Talent Agent: Misty James
Models: Nick, Lily, Maddy
Select Furniture: Good Neighbor
Studio, Props & Surfaces: Prop Up Shop

PROJECT DESCRIPTION:
An all encompassing creative passion project inspired by travel to highlight Limonata’s full set of skills. Giulietta and Nate teamed up with NY based photographer Kyle Dorosz, recruited regional stylists & talent while sourcing set materials from Baltimore based shops while pulling from Prop Up Shops own collection to form a powerhouse collaborative with a curated selection of beverages as the product focus. The creative direction is centered around a fictitious boutique hospitality experience steeped in tropical 70’s vibes.

A hand holding a bottle of Faccia Brutto Aperitivo on a wooden table with a bowl of nuts, a plate of appetizers, a cocktail with an orange slice, and a candle in the background.
Stylish table setting featuring a bottle of Faccia Brutto aperitivo, two drinks garnished with orange slices, a plate with toast topped with red sauce and herbs, and a bowl of almonds.
Bottle of Faccia Brutto aperitivo, cocktails, and snacks on a table for Hotel Xacuan.

“As the creative & art director of the shoot, I wanted to weave a story that resonated with a spirit of wanderlust & living in a state of perpetual summer. My husband, Nate, and I had recently taken a 6 month travel sabbatical around the world - mainly countries in South America and Asia; so I wanted to try and translate that experience into visuals. In brainstorming how I could fulfill this ambition, I closed my eyes, almost meditating, and searched for cues. After a bit, I realized that beats - words - were emerging in my mind; and that the words were rhyming.... that I was composing a poem. So, I wrote the poem down and in turn, this fluid process helped me understand the location, mood & aesthetic for the scene”. - Giulietta

The poem read as follows:

Custom patterned retro tile design with orange, brown, and beige geometric shapes and circles in a repeating pattern for Hotel Xacuan
Yellow background with a poetic text in blue cursive font. A white flower icon at the top. The text reads a poetic reflection on dreaming, nature, and retro vibes, signed 'LIMONATA' for Hotel Xacuan.
Table setting with a hand holding a bottle of Faccia Brutto aperitivo, a cocktail with an orange slice, a plate of appetizers, a bowl of almonds, and a lit candle.
African American model Nick holding a can of Culture Pop soda against a peach background.
Hand holding a can of Culture Pop Soda, lemon lime flavor.
Woman with curly red hair laughing, holding a cocktail in a colorful, patterned blouse against a peach background.
Hand holding a cocktail glass with a yellow flower, against a peach background.
A woman with curly hair wearing a floral patterned dress is holding a glass with garnishes, standing against a textured, peach-colored background.
A hand holding a glass with iced drink, lime, mint, and a patterned shirt in the background.
Three tropical cocktails on a green table: a pink cocktail with floral ice in a coupe glass, a yellow cocktail with pineapple garnish in a rimmed tumbler, and a reddish-orange cocktail with citrus slices in a highball glass.
Person mixing a cocktail with a shaker, surrounded by ingredients and garnishes including citrus slices, peper, and a bottle. The scene includes tropical flowers and decorative elements on a green table for Hotel Xacuan.
Person slicing blood oranges on a cutting board, surrounded by a bottle of Bozal mezcal, cocktail ingredients, and tropical flowers.

“ Following Giulietta’s lead I looked back to our travels through through Central & South America for inspiration. I loved learning about the history of the native civilizations and appreciating the rich indigenous cultures. I decided to call our imaginary place "Hotel Xacuan" and that it had a petite tiki bar, named "Coltia". In the Náhuatl language: “Xacuan” means ‘beautiful yellow petals’; “Coltia” means ‘twisted, or bent’… something that comes naturally when you have a good cocktail.

The graphics and specifically the primary font we used was a custom creation inspired by building signage on the ‘mercado’ across from our bnb in Oaxaca, MX. We’ve made this font (aptly named Mercado) available for purchase in our shop.

So what started as a poem, eventually turned into custom branding for our imaginary hotel, bar, menus, various tile treatments, and finally, a food/beverage photoshoot that brought it all to life. Some people might say we got carried away, but it never felt like it to us... it just felt right”!

- Nate

Green background with words: Cocteles, Mezcales, Tequilas, Cerveza, Micheladas, Refrescos, and "Bar Coltia" with decorative font designed for Hotel Xacuan.
Assorted tropical cocktails with a 'Bar Coltia' menu and flowers on a table for Hotel Xacuan.
A can of Dominga Paloma Sour held by a person, with a plate of grapefruit slices on a table.
A person pours a beverage from a can into a glass on a table. The table also holds a bowl of sliced fruit. Another person's hand rests on the table. The background is green with leafy plants.
Two people sitting at a round table with a can of Dominga Paloma Sour, an empty glass, and a bowl of sliced fruit. One person is wearing a crocheted garment.

GALLERIES:

Work