‘The truth is, I often begin all over the place,’ says photographer and designer Martyn Thompson, holding up sheet after sheet of colourful and expressive paintings. ‘I did a lot of experimentation with acrylics, and when say a lot, I really mean it,’ he laughs. ‘This way I can see what’s actually working or what needs to be developed. It’s no more sophisticated than that but, as with most things. it takes a while to arrive at a place where you’re happy. In fact, it can be a really slow process.’

The lively artworks Martyn is discussing were the starting point for his latest collaboration with Jo Malone London: a series of porcelain vessels and custom round boxes for the brand’s collection of luxurious layered candles. As with all his work, the designs feel uninhibited and spontaneous, with inspiration coming not only from the candles and the scents themselves, but also a previous exhibition at the Jo Malone London Townhouse. ‘We did an installation for London Design Festival in September 2019, with Emily Johnson, founder of ceramics brand 1882 Ltd.,’ he explains. ‘As part of the show we hung a wall of plates we’d worked on together – they had spots, stripes and other motifs. I loved their positive energy, so I wanted to translate that into this project too.’

Marrying pairs of classic Jo Malone London scents – English Pear & Freesia with Lime Basil & Mandarin and Peony & Blush Suede with Pomegranate Noir – the Design Edition Layered Candles are works of art in their own right. Handcrafted in the UK by skilled artisans, each fragrance has a custom wax blend and three bespoke wicks to suit the specific way that blend burns. Combining two scents is, therefore, a complex and considered process: each layer is hand-poured with utmost care to create a single candle that, when lit, delivers a burst of familiarity, before transforming into a completely new fragrance. One so unique it can’t be achieved even by burning two candles – one of each of the individual fragrances – side by side.

‘The candles themselves are all about how the fragrances are layered, which led me to the idea of layering these particular patterns and colours.’ says Thompson. ‘I tend to translate things through a colour lens. So for me, Peony & Blush Suede is pink with touches of purple, while Lime Basil & Mandarin is a vibrant yellow and green; you can’t be too literal, sometimes there needs to be artistic licence to make things more exciting. I didn’t start with a strict palette, but it got tighter as the project went on.’

The result is a collection of avant-garde vessels and boxes that represent their contents exquisitely. ‘The idea is that you can repurpose the candle vessel, which is one of the things that’s lovely about having something that’s covered with painterly strokes,’ he continues. ‘You can use it for your pencils, your make-up brushes, your peanuts – it could be the most glamorous peanut dish in town! The wonderful thing is that they’re not retro, traditional or any one style – they’re just colourful and beautiful, meaning they work well in any environment.’