Thayers’ 178th Annual Witch Hazel Harvest
“My favorite touch was the red rain boots; since Thayers’ signature color is red, it felt like a joyful, wearable expression of the brand.” — Emma Lueders, Creative Producer
This fall, we partnered with Thayers Skincare to produce their 178th Annual Witch Hazel Harvest, an honor given the brand’s incredible legacy. Our team traveled out to beautiful Connecticut, which was fully immersed in the Fall foliage and weather. The celebration began with an apothecary-inspired dinner at the Baldanza Schoolhouse with interactive entertainers including Perfect Serve NYC’s flair mixologists, live poet, Parker Voss, and tarot card reader, Dayane Araujo. We welcomed influencers, creators, and artists for an evening that blended storytelling, seasonality, and a little magic.
The following day, guests visited Gilbertie’s Farm, where Thayers’ witch hazel, itself is grown. Influencers were able to explore the harvest, learn about the process, and experience the heart of the brand in a truly hands-on way. Elevating a rural farm into a high-end, luxurious environment was a fun and creative challenge, and partners like Acquolina Catering helped take the farm-fresh menu we envisioned, to the next level. It was a refreshing shift from our typical NYC events, and everyone involved was truly wonderful to work with.
So much effort and brand creativity went into this 2-day event, so I wanted to sit down with Revel Rouge’s Creative Assistant, Emma Lueders, to find out more about her process with a project of this magnitude.
I asked Emma, “What was your overall creative vision for this two-day Thayers experience?”
We wanted to build an immersive world that reflected Thayers’ heritage and natural roots. Designing branded goods is one of my favorite parts of this work. It taps into my fashion background and love for creative problem-solving. Choosing the right materials, colors, and finishes, and then seeing it all come to life exactly as imagined that’s incredibly rewarding.
“Which detail most captured the brand’s personality?”
I was especially proud of the first nights tablescape. It included handmade menus from India, embroidered napkins from a Brooklyn studio, twine for a heritage touch, and the most stunning florals from Martin Flowers. It all came together like a living apothecary.
“Was there a design element that required creative problem-solving behind the scenes?”
Absolutely. There’s always an element that evolves in real time, and for this event, it was the drapery installation. Draping is almost like watercoloring, every fold changes the emotion of the space. It took patience and experimentation to get it right. Our vendor was wonderful; she worked with such calm and collaboration while we refined it over and over until it finally felt right. The moment we stepped back and saw the finished piece, we both just knew.
“What moment made you think, “This is why we do what we do”?”
Hearing guests say the dinner felt personal and heartfelt was incredibly rewarding. It reminded me why we obsess over tiny details. Working with the warm, passionate restaurant owners also made the experience especially meaningful.
This video recapped the first evening, an apothecary-inspired dinner, showcasing Thayers’ Witch Hazel. Follow our Tik Tok, @revelrouge for more of an insider’s look into our process throughout event days!
