Mookuthi

Mookuthi

Strategy
visual langauge
web design

Founded in 2018 by Sarath Selvanathan, Mookuthi started as an homage to the smallest yet the most impactful ornament – the nose pin, or as it is called in Tamil, the Mookuthi.

We built the tone of voice and visual language for the brand through the manifesto and website design as a celebration of South Indian history, culture and craftsmanship.

Strategy

We arrived at a brand purpose and ethos for Mookuthi through a deep cultural research which included speaking to consumers, stakeholders and visitors in the Mookuthi studio in Chennai. We understood their personal relationship with their roots and its evolution over time.

Through secondary research, we traced the evolution of nose ornaments and the symbolism they carried in history and mythology. Through workshops and deep discussions with the founder, Sarath Selvanathan, we crafted the Brand Purpose.

TYPOGRAPHY

An inscriptional serif with hints of stone carving and monumental letters. Its personality comes through its forms – which feel hand-written and also precise. The type translates Mookuthi’s love for precision and grace very well, adding a strong personality to how the brand communicates.

WEB DESIGN

Mookuthi’s visual identity merges period-inspired typography,
high-culture yet modern aesthetics and a colour palette inspired by the brand’s rich cultural roots. Together, they translate the unique perspective of Sarath’s personal journey, reflected in the various collections designed by him. The website was designed to feel like a digital art gallery – a nod to the timeless beauty of nose ornaments.