Interviews with Arman Auzhanov

I specialise in branding for alcoholic drinks and run ARMBRAND studio. Thirty years in this highly specialised field have given me the expertise I bring to my work today, although I trained as an engineer. I'm interested in the entire journey, from the qualities of the product to the impression it makes on the buyer. In drinks branding, cultural context, aesthetics, price and production technology are closely connected. Understanding those connections allows us to offer clients a solution that gives their product a distinctive identity and can be brought to life successfully within the project's constraints.

I'm fascinated by the opportunity to recognise a product's potential and find the right way to express it. A producer may spend years perfecting a drink, but a buyer encountering it for the first time knows nothing of that work. Design helps make it visible and understandable.

That's what motivates me: creating an identity that sparks a real interest in the product. It's especially rewarding when the process helps clients see the strengths of their own brand more clearly.

It was my choice. For me, designing for alcoholic drinks is the ultimate test of skill. I can think of few other FMCG categories with such intense competition and such high margins.

Design is a conscious professional choice for me. I'm drawn to work that combines creative freedom with responsibility for the result. You need a feel for form, an understanding of people and an appreciation of the practical realities of business.

Running a studio adds to that responsibility: clients entrust us with part of their product's future. That trust calls for personal commitment and the ability to see decisions through.

I specialise in alcoholic drinks brands and packaging. I'm interested in how a name, graphics, bottle shape and materials come together to create a coherent impression of the product.

I'd like to work more often with producers who have a character of their own and the ambition to develop it consistently. These projects allow us to lay the groundwork for several things at once: a distinctive first release, a recognisable future range and a clear approach to how the brand will appear across different sales channels.

I'd encourage them to focus on becoming someone who can be trusted with a difficult brief.

That takes visual literacy, independent thinking and an understanding of what happens to your design once it leaves the studio. Learn about production, talk to clients and observe how people choose products. Learn to explain your decisions in plain language. A reputation is built gradually through the quality of your work, professional integrity and the value you bring to the people who turn to you.

A good designer delivers a strong response to a brief. A great designer can assess whether the brief asks the right questions and spot opportunities the client may not yet see.

For example, a request to make packaging look more expensive may conceal a more important question: which qualities justify the product's price, and how can we communicate them? Working that out before the visual design begins helps clients invest in changes that will really matter.

I judge design against the brand's objectives. Does it stand out on the shelf? Does it convey the brand's character? Is the information clearly organised? Does the impression match the intended price point? And, ultimately, does it persuade the buyer to choose the brand?

Then it needs to be tested in real conditions: in print, in photographs, on the shelf and, finally, in the hand. An effective solution holds up to all those tests. It also gives the brand room to grow: new products should retain a family resemblance while remaining easy to tell apart.

The investment in design is small compared with what a producer spends on manufacturing, retail listing fees, advertising and everything else involved in getting a product onto the shelf. Yet design is what the buyer encounters first, before opening the bottle. Good design sells, and that means profit for the business. It helps people recognise a product's value before they've tasted it, shapes expectations, makes the choice easier and creates an image they can remember.

Consistency is particularly important for a business: a recognisable design system makes it possible to launch new products and communicate coherently. The investment still needs to fit the brief. Sometimes a bespoke bottle is justified; sometimes a strong idea on a stock bottle offers a better balance of impact and cost.

I'd love to create a brand for a small producer with an exceptional product that is still known only to specialists, particularly if its character comes from its place of origin, ingredients or the maker's individual approach.

Design can help a producer like that reach a wider audience while preserving what makes them distinctive. I enjoy finding a visual expression that makes a rich story accessible and gives buyers a clear reason to take an interest in the drink.

I'd love to work on a project where we could shape the entire experience of discovering a brand, from positioning and packaging to the tasting space.

The opportunity to work towards a long-term vision is especially appealing. When you understand where a brand wants to be in a few years, you can plan the development of the range and identify the elements that will make it recognisable. That gives the owner a stronger foundation for future decisions and investment.

The ability to find simple, effective solutions to a brief, and the determination to understand what will truly strengthen a particular brand. I pay close attention to detail, but I judge each detail by its contribution to the overall impression.

Elaborate finishes, for example, make sense when they express the product's character and justify their cost. Sometimes precise proportions or expressive typography can achieve more. My perfectionism is about being selective in where I apply that exacting attention, directing effort and budget where they will have the greatest value.

I'm drawn to Dieter Rams's discipline, Massimo Vignelli's systematic thinking and Naoto Fukasawa's subtle understanding of objects.

Their approaches remind me how important it is for individual decisions to work together. For a brand, this has a practical value: when form, graphics and materials speak the same language, the identity becomes clearer. I admire work that combines a distinctive creative voice with respect for the person who will use the object.

I admire many of Stranger & Stranger's projects for their authenticity and willingness to challenge the market; Think Bold's work for its presence and exuberance; and Chad Michael's for its thoughtful detail and effectiveness.

In drinks branding, the underlying principle matters: a brand needs distinctive features that can be developed consistently. That kind of individuality has much more substance than a collection of decorative touches. It helps a product retain its identity across formats and build recognition over time.

I'd single out VEDZMA. The brief was to create a positioning unlike anything already on the shelf. We found our answer in magic: the world's first range of alcoholic drinks made using spells.

The key was to create a visual identity that communicated that positioning. We developed a range of vodkas and infused spirits that express values the audience connects with, in part through the brand character: a nude witch on a broomstick.

I value this project because its aesthetic strengths directly serve the brand.

You need to learn to assess your work beyond your own intentions. Is the idea clear to someone seeing the product for the first time? Is the packaging easy to use? Have the important details survived production?

In my own development, I've found it particularly useful to examine those gaps between intention and outcome. It leads to better decisions on the next project. For clients, that's a key benefit of a designer's experience: the ability to anticipate difficulties and propose a well-considered way forward.

Perhaps I'd have become a sommelier specialising in alcoholic drinks, or a tea sommelier. I have a well-developed palate.

For me, design gives a product's value a clear, recognisable form.

In drinks branding, that means understanding what the producer wants to offer people and expressing it as added value they can readily perceive. Through the buyer's perception, design connects the brand owner's vision with the need the product fulfils. The more precise that connection, the easier it is for people to understand the offer and for the company to present and develop its product consistently.

Artem Kultenko, Kevin Shao, Darya Tratsevskaya, Vadim Kasyanov, among others.

I'm especially grateful to people who combined support with high expectations: they helped me move forward while teaching me to assess my own work more critically.

That experience also shapes my understanding of collaboration. I value trust, direct conversations and the freedom to discuss difficult questions with both the team and the client. Those conditions make it easier to reach strong decisions and share responsibility for the result.

A combination of curiosity and discipline. Curiosity helps me understand a new product in depth; discipline helps me carry the idea through to a convincing result.

Every brand deserves to be considered on its own terms. An approach that worked well on one project may be wrong for the next. That's why I believe in keeping a fresh perspective: clients come to us with their own challenges, and those challenges should guide the work.

One of the hardest professional challenges is reconciling the expressive power of an idea with the practical conditions of making it. Materials, production capabilities, cost and timing all affect one another.

For me, a mature approach means considering those connections early enough. You need to understand which elements define the project, where adjustments are possible and what needs to be checked on a sample. That helps preserve quality and reduces the likelihood of expensive changes late in the process.

For example, the Belarusian vodka brand Bulbash has more than 25 SKUs. You have to consider how the design will adapt across bottle sizes ranging from one litre down to 50 ml.

In a way that helps the client make an informed decision. It's important to set out the brief, explain the idea and demonstrate how it will work in its intended setting.

Packaging needs to be shown at different scales and in different contexts: on the shelf, in the hand and alongside the other products in the range. It's also useful to highlight production considerations and anything that still needs testing. A good presentation makes the strengths of a solution clear and supports a focused discussion about how to take it forward.

We sign non-disclosure agreements that prevent us from discussing projects before they launch. That confidentiality is essential to working with clients who are often competitors.

I'm interested in developing an approach where the brand's individuality comes through both in the graphics and in the object itself: its form, its surface and the way people interact with it.

I also think about how those ideas can develop over time. I want to create brands with a recognisable character and room to grow, so each new release continues the story while giving buyers a fresh reason to pay attention.

To help worthwhile products receive an equally compelling presentation.

I want the producer to see a faithful expression of their vision in the design, and the buyer to see a clear, appealing offer. For the brand owner, the result should be a foundation they can build on in packaging, communication and the development of the range. That lasting usefulness matters a great deal to me.

I think clients expect independent professional judgement, clear reasoning and accountability. They often come with a challenge that involves a degree of uncertainty and look to the designer to help make sense of it.

You need to be able to propose a direction, explain why it makes sense and discuss constraints at the right time. Trust grows when clients understand the thinking behind the work and see that their product is receiving careful, consistent attention.

Design shapes the quality of our everyday interactions with objects. It can make information clearer, things easier to use and our approach to materials more thoughtful.

In drinks branding, I particularly value an honest representation of the product, respect for an adult audience and sensitivity to cultural context. For the producer, this is also a matter of reputation. A credible brand aligns what the packaging promises with what people actually receive.

We're currently working on a very exciting, innovative global project in the premium segment, but I can't share the details because of an NDA.

I'm interested in finding a way to express its distinctive qualities through form. In projects like this, the most inspiring moment is when a meaningful idea becomes visually clear: you can see exactly what will set the brand apart and how that can be developed further.

I particularly value projects where a strong idea has carried through into the finished product and helped solve a specific challenge for the client. Our Irish whiskey projects are a good example.

There's also great satisfaction in creating a system the client can continue to work with: introducing new products, maintaining consistency and presenting the brand confidently to partners. It's rewarding to see design continue to deliver value after the original project is complete.

I'd like to see more attention paid to the quality of finished work: materials, printing, ease of use and thoughtful construction. What matters to the client is the product that actually goes on sale.

I'd also welcome a more substantive conversation about design. When decisions are assessed against the brief, the audience and production conditions, that conversation becomes more useful to everyone involved. It helps clients understand what they're investing in and how to judge the result.

I think we'll see even more visual options, and the ability to choose wisely will become especially valuable. Understanding the product, exercising professional judgement and following through consistently will determine the quality of the work.

For clients, that makes it increasingly important to have a partner who asks the right questions and takes responsibility for the coherence of the result. In packaging, the physical experience will continue to matter a great deal: texture, proportion, ease of use and how the object feels in your hand.

The timeline depends on the scope, the number of products and the complexity of production. Working with an existing bottle and developing a bespoke shape call for different schedules.

I believe in agreeing the stages, approval points and time for reviewing samples in advance. This allows the client to coordinate design with procurement, production and the launch plan. A realistic schedule with clear dependencies is much more useful than a deadline promised without a proper understanding of the project.

At our studio, a project using a stock bottle typically takes around four to six weeks.

By establishing what the business needs to achieve and which qualities of the product can help it get there. It's important to understand the audience, price positioning, sales channels, competitive landscape and plans for growth.

Then I look for a basis for differentiation: what deserves particular attention in this drink and the producer's approach? That preparation gives the visual work a clearer direction. It also gives the client a meaningful way to choose a concept: how well it answers the brand's brief.

“Every detail should strengthen the whole.”

That principle guides both aesthetic and budget decisions. If an element makes the brand's character clearer, it deserves attention. If it complicates production but makes little difference to the impression, we need to reconsider its role.

I value the kind of precision where every creative choice contributes to the impact of the design.

It works both ways. Design responds to cultural changes while also proposing new visual ideas.

A brand needs to understand which trends suit its character and its plans for the future. Packaging requires investment, so its relevance should be considered beyond the fashions of the moment. I'm interested in solutions that feel contemporary while having a cultural foundation of their own. That gives the brand more freedom in the future.

Technology helps us explore options faster, check proportions and give clients a clearer sense of the eventual result. Tools that reveal a problem before production are particularly useful.

The important thing is to choose the right way to test each aspect. A 3D model helps assess form; a print proof, colour and legibility; a physical sample, materials and ease of use. For clients, the value of technology lies in better-informed decisions and the opportunity to make adjustments at the right time.

For graphic design, we work on 27-inch iMacs with the standard Adobe suite, a familiar setup in our field. For structural design, we use PCs with a range of software, from SOLIDWORKS and Rhinoceros to 3ds Max and Blender.

I want our tools to support precise development, clear presentations and properly prepared production files. That's why digital work needs to be connected to the assessment of physical samples.

What matters to the client is how reliably the idea makes its way into the finished packaging. A well-organised process helps preserve quality as the work moves between graphics, three-dimensional form, materials and print.

They shape the first impression of a product and influence whether its price feels justified. A material, for instance, can suggest restraint, craftsmanship or technical precision.

Every decision depends on context. We need to consider the lighting in a shop or bar, the colour of the drink itself, neighbouring products and how the packaging appears on screen. Testing those conditions helps focus the budget on qualities the buyer will actually notice and appreciate.

“How does this solution relate to the product, and what does it do for the brand?”

It's a meaningful question because it shows an interest in the thinking behind the work. It opens up a conversation about form, typography, materials and the impression we want to create.

I want clients to be able to explain their brand's design confidently to their team, a distributor or a partner. A clear idea makes those conversations easier.

First, I enjoy the object itself. Then I try to understand which decisions made it so convincing.

I'm especially interested in how efficiently the design uses its elements: what makes it recognisable, how the hierarchy works and why that particular material was chosen. This kind of analysis sharpens your judgement. It helps you see more possibilities within specific constraints, and almost every client project has them.

An ideal partner knows their field well, can discuss decisions openly and cares about the shared result. That might be a client, a designer, an engineer or a production specialist.

I believe in collaboration with clearly defined responsibilities. The producer knows the product, the designer shapes its identity, and production specialists help bring the vision to life accurately. When that expertise comes together at the right time, we can find stronger solutions and anticipate potential difficulties.

My wife, Darya Tratsevskaya. She's my best critic.

I'm also drawn to people who understand their craft deeply and can explain subtle differences in quality. Talking to specialists like that teaches you to pay attention and appreciate what may not be obvious at first glance.

That's particularly valuable for a designer: the better you understand the producer's work, the more accurately you can express the value of their product. A thoughtful conversation often yields an idea you would never find through a superficial acquaintance with the category.

Three books that resonate with me are Jan Tschichold's The Form of the Book, Don Norman's The Design of Everyday Things and Kenya Hara's Designing Design. Each offers a different perspective on precision, perception and our relationship with objects.

These subjects are directly relevant to packaging. How should information be organised? What will people understand without an explanation? Which detail will change their perception of quality? Good design writing helps you ask more precise questions and, in turn, arrive at better-founded solutions for clients.

By constantly comparing the idea with the result. It's important to observe, analyse completed work and understand why some decisions succeeded and others fell short.

Over time, that attention develops your ability to anticipate where a problem might arise: in legibility, scale, materials or the extension of a range. For clients, that's one of the main benefits of experience. It helps us ask the right question earlier and make a decision while there's still time to implement it calmly and sensibly.

Leonardo da Vinci. I'm fascinated by his ability to combine artistic vision with an exploration of how things work.

I'd want to talk about observation: how do you see what others miss in something familiar? For a designer, that's a very practical question. Sometimes the most compelling idea is already there in the product or the way it's made. You need to look closely and work out how to turn that observation into an expressive form.

We've won the full set of major packaging design awards.

Professional recognition is valuable as an independent assessment of the quality of the work. For a prospective client, it can be another reason to take a closer look at the studio.

But trust has to be earned in each collaboration: through how deeply we understand the brief, how well we support our decisions and how successfully the project is delivered. Reputation creates expectations, and I see that as a responsibility to give every new project the attention it deserves.

My favourite colours are shades of grey; there's a sense of balance in them. My favourite place is the lagoon in Dahab, where I can relax and practise yoga. Food: plov, the rice dish I grew up with. Season: early autumn, for its riot of colour. Object: my khomus, a jaw harp, for the chance it gives me to listen to myself. Brand: KEEN, because they make truly comfortable shoes.

I'm drawn to things and places with a character of their own. Attachment usually grows out of particular details and personal experience. I think that explains a lot about how people choose brands, too.

Once, while working on a vodka project for Kazakhstan, we presented four different design concepts. We waited for the client to make a decision. Time passed, the wait dragged on, and still there was no feedback. Eventually, feeling anxious, we asked, “Did you like anything in the presentation?” It turned out the client liked three of the concepts so much that he couldn't choose just one. He was ready to launch all three. What made me laugh most was his question: “So what am I supposed to do now?” And that's what happened: all three concepts went into production and on sale.

Since then, this has happened quite often. Clients like more than one option and use another concept for a limited edition or a premium version of the product.

I particularly enjoy the moment when a complex brief resolves into a clear idea. Suddenly, you can see how to express the product's character and bring all the elements together.

Another wonderful moment is seeing a finished sample that stays true to the original vision. The idea becomes something the client can actually use: show to partners, put on the shelf and develop further. That sense of being useful is a powerful motivation.

Like any child, I loved to imagine things. I grew up reading science fiction.

As a child, I was particularly intrigued by the difference between the impression an object made and the experience of actually interacting with it. I can now see the connection with my professional work: increasing an object's perceived value and strengthening people's trust in it.

I think designers need to preserve the ability to look closely at familiar things. It helps us notice qualities that can later become the basis of a brand's individuality.

On that timescale, I'm more interested in thinking about what will continue to matter to people. Probably the desire to feel connected to a place, celebrate important occasions, give meaningful gifts and appreciate craftsmanship.

Technology and materials may change radically. But I believe brands will still need a meaning people can relate to. That's why, even today, it's worth looking beyond current visual fashions for the foundations of a design, starting with its cultural grounding.

I want ARMBRAND's work to inspire trust in the product and in the people behind it. A good drink is the result of countless decisions, effort and personal responsibility. Design should do that work justice.

In a collaboration, I particularly value attention to what matters and a shared commitment to quality. I want clients to receive a distinctive identity and understand how to use it to develop their brand further. That's the kind of work I find truly valuable.

I have 30 years of design experience and numerous international awards; I'm an expert in alcohol design. I know the nuances of glass production, highly complex labels and various printing methods. I understand human passions and what works to trigger a purchase. I'm up to date with modern trend, design for me is a calling of the soul. One of the fundamental human needs is to create, and design here is like the point of a pencil.

We're a small international studio, we specialize in alcohol and perfume branding, i.e. those areas where the added value of the brand is maximal, as is the competition among producers. Due to our fair pricing policy, we have a queue two months in advance.

Harmoniously conveying the essence of an object or event to people, emphasizing the aspects specified in the brief.

I like everything related to the branding and design of alcohol, perfumery, and beverages. I like designing bottles, improving existing ones, and creating new ones.

The one that solves the problem. I believe that a designer is closer to an electrician than to an artist :)

A product that won't just enter the market, it'll capture it.

All materials are loved. Their application depends on the task at hand. Due to the specifics of the studio, I love glass, aluminum, craft wine materials, and everything that creates added value for the brand.

Morning. 9-11 a.m.

On those that solve the problem most effectively.

Immersion and delight.

Joy and a bit of emptiness.

Its visibility and ability to evoke the right emotion.

Does it effectively solve the assigned task?

To make the world a better place.

With the advent of AI, it's hazy.

I'm an exclusively practical person. My exhibitions are held constantly, they're store shelves. :)

Cultural platform. Meditations. Travels.

I think my style is in the laconicism and efficiency of solutions, decorated with carefully weighed accents.

Right now I'm a "citizen of the world", I try to live where it's comfortable. I believe that the situation in the world at the moment is such that it makes no difference where you live; the main thing is your demand, determined by professionalism. Of course, undoubtedly, the formation of personality happens where you grew up and it leaves a mark.

Like most studios. We fill out a brief for the task at hand, and based on its results, we calculate the budget based on hours. We issue a commercial proposal. After a 30% advance payment, within two to three weeks we show design concepts, discuss them together, choose and refine them. Before the stage of transfer to production, another 50% is paid, and after handing over the final files, another 20%.

Look closely at his real works. If the works are in tune with your sense of beauty, then he's your good designer.

First, we gather material. Absolutely everything that can be learned about the task at hand. Then, we cut off the unworkable options.

Lamp. Clock. Stones. Speakers. Wall weapons.

Workday: 6:00 wake up, meditation, a little yoga or qigong, breakfast, sorting through emails, working on projects, working on projects, dinner, meditation, a movie/book, 23:00 sleep.

More visual experience. Never be satisfied with your project. Use contrasts.

Specifically in my specialization. Pros: all innovations, both marketing strategies and the materials we work with, come to alcohol first because of the highest competition. You're always at the peak. It's like aerobatics. Cons: all people know what design should be (laughs). I never tire of repeating Jobs's words, "It doesn't make sense to hire smart people and then tell them what to do..."

Never be satisfied with the result.

In my specialization with alcohol, it's attention to detail. The ability to solve a task in different ways. Loving what you do.

All of the above :)

I try to do all the most important tasks first.

As a rule, a standard project (without a bespoke bottle) takes us a month and a half.

“How did you manage this?”

The more complex the project, the more important it becomes.

International alcohol and perfume companies, who want to take over the market.

Coming up with an idea, it takes 20% of the time and provides 80% of the result.

I plan to expand towards the Western and Eastern markets.

I have a well-coordinated team of professionals, each an expert in their field.

None that I'd like to talk about. :)

Write to the email: art@armbrand.com

To the question: "What is it you'd wish for your clients?" More trust. Just outline the task, and let go of the process. We'll solve everything quickly.

Fresnel lenses turned out to be a very suitable technology. I was looking for a way to emphasize the visual element of the Moon - it is one of the main elements of the composition, and it is the idea of the product itself. I needed something that would highlight it even among the contrasting environment. And the volumetric effect created by the Fresnel lens was ideal. The Moon is multifaceted, we always see only one of its many parts - this is shown in the ornament at the bottom part. But the central element creates a complete and at the same time constantly changing image of the Moon: it shimmers, depending on the angle of the viewer's gaze.

Balance is important in any project, because a person has two hemispheres in his head, and one is responsible for rationality and the other for emotions. Therefore, this approach is most justified in a highly competitive environment.

I like innovations because they allow the project to stand out from the environment. And since I keep my finger on the pulse of the latest technologies, I immediately realized that this material is ideally suited to the concept of a twinkling starry sky. Of course, this material is difficult to process, but the effect is worth it.

Glass is generally a fertile material for such cases. Given my extensive experience in bottle shaping, it wasn't difficult to create a spectacular moon crater-shaped emboss on the shoulders of the bottle. And the glass looks premium in the reflections from the dents, besides, it creates a pleasant tactile effect.

An important part of communicating with the Generation Y audience is storytelling. Millennials respect a product that has its own story, which can be read like a fascinating book. It is not enough to simply draw a beautiful Moon - you need to tell what it means, what history is behind it, and what it can teach us. It is difficult, but it allows us to personally address the viewer.

Colors are not the only important thing in the visual design of a product. Take the concept of contrast, for example. Using opposite shades of the color wheel almost always creates a highly legible style. But the same goes for texture. The tactile experience is as important as the visual one, and the combination of contrasting texture elements feels modern and attractive. In my case, silver and black - the well-known "space" combination - is complemented by matte plastic and shiny metal. Just like in the recognizable futuristic spacesuits and spaceship designs.

These details can come as a surprise if you don't know about them beforehand, even though they are hidden in plain sight. A person who discovers them will feel like a pioneer. They found it themselves, and now they know something that others don't. Just like humanity exploring space, ready for any wonders, but not expecting them right around the corner.

Such complex projects require a sufficient amount of time to implement. My studio is currently located in Minsk, but I myself come from Kazakhstan, so the project started in one country, but the implementation and the final image were completed in another.

The Moon plays an important role in Kazakh culture. Its phases are associated with a person's life path, the crescent is considered a symbol of the connection between people and the spirit world. For Kazakhs, the image of the Moon is familiar and recognizable. But the moon is also universal. I think it means something important to any culture in the world. That is why it is a wonderful symbol for representing Kazakhstan in the world.

I am very proud to have received such an award as the Silver A' Design Award and I hope that for the elite alcoholic beverages for which I create packaging design, this will be an additional argument in favor of cooperation with me.