Twenty years ago, Kate Woods took over the Creative Direction of her family business and brought Debi Ani onboard. Oro&Co’s remain the go-to brand agency for the extraordinary Woods family. Lifelong friendships have been forged while excellent brand design, luxury brochures, campaigns, signage, invitations, photo shoots and countless marketing materials have been produced.
Thames Watermen since 1866, the Woods family live and breathe the River Thames. Undisputed kings of the river, their Silver Fleet are highly sought-after London river yachts with luxurious interiors and world class hospitality. The Silver Sturgeon, Silver Barracuda and Silver Darling are frequently chartered by film stars, corporates and British Royalty.
The family’s most recent contribution to London’s riverscape is the spectacular Woods Quay discreetly nestling alongside Waterloo Pier. A feat of engineering which rises and falls with the tide, it provides an unforgettable vista of the city from its expansive and utterly luxurious glass and terrazzo interior. Oro&Co have developed iconic luxury brand identities for both Silver Fleet and the Woods Quay.
A timeless W reflected in the water sits alongside bespoke lettering embracing an infinity symbol in homage to generations of Woods past, present and future. A logo and brand identity is just the beginning of the adventure.
With Peter Horridge’s mathematical mastery we devised an even more complex version, a celebratory roundel including the bizarre and obscure names of the network of public stairs used by watermen since the 14th century to access the tidal waters. We foil blocked it onto super-posh Fedrigoni textured paper to create a talking point on menus and promotions, designed a river woman with the course of the Thames in her hair (Natalie Ferstendik’s sublime illustration) and a geometric river pattern to work on everything from ice cream carts to wrapping paper.
Uncompromising innovators, the family continue to push the boundaries on the Thames. Working collaboratively and intuitively with Kate, our pleasure is in realising her insightful vision for the company.
