Chimera as a term has morphed, mutated, and metamorphosed throughout history.
In Greek Mythology, we first encounter it in Homer’s “Iliad” and then again in Virgil’s “Aeneid,” where it appears at the doors of Hades. “Three were her heads, “one of a lion of flashing eyes, another of a she-goat, and another of a snake.”
In science, a chimera can be an individual whose body is composed of genetically distinct cells, as if they are from different individuals – and sometimes they are from different individuals.
Plants can be chimeras too. Much of the fruit we eat comes from chimeric plants, because of the widely-used practice of grafting fruit-producing branches onto the roots of another variety or species. In the great French wine blight, this process saved the regional European vines and slowly but surely returned the wine industry in France to relative normality.
The term chimera describes anything composed of disparate parts that is perceived as wildly imaginative, implausible, or a dazzling unrealized dream.
Design is inherently an amalgamation of perspectives, materials, styles,
and a spatial chimera of its own.
Our unified creative partnership has developed into a chimera. A true symbiosis of us.
The wordmark Chimera, website, and branding were collaboratively designed with Adriana Gallo. Each letter in the wordmark tells a unique story, meticulously hand-drawn by Daisy and Amanda. Drawing inspiration from the Alphabet Diabolique, a 19th-century type specimen by Jean Midolle, we build upon centuries of fascination with the grotesque and fantastical. One of the typefaces we use is Ortica by Collletttivo, named after the Italian word for "nettle," reflecting its sharp terminals and organic forms. Complementing Ortica is Neue Haas Grotesk, designed by Swiss typeface pioneers Max Miedinger and Eduard Hoffmann, providing a utilitarian backbone to our design system. The landing page video footage was shot by Derrick Belcham and Kate Devine copywrote the About text. Portrait photography was shot by Max Reed.
Kevin Espeche built our website and gave life to our vision.
