Brand Book
Club Mare
Where the Mediterranean pauses for those who've earned the view
Identity
Palette
Admiral Navy
#1A2B3C
primary
Terracotta Clay
#C8826D
secondary
Mare Aquamarine
#5BA7A0
accent
Canvas Cream
#FFFEF7
background
Sun-Bleached Linen
#F5F1E8
neutral
Burnished Brass
#B8935E
neutral
Walnut Shadow
#4A3B2F
neutral
Pearl White
#FFFFFF
neutral
Typography
headline
GT Sectra
Weights: 400, 500
body
Söhne
Weights: 400, 500
accent
GT Sectra
Weights: 300
Voice
Club Mare speaks with the assured restraint of established authority — unhurried sentences that assume the reader's discernment, specific details cited without emphasis, warmth expressed through material precision rather than casual familiarity. The voice balances Mediterranean ease with classical structure, choosing substance over decoration.
- “The east terrace closes at sunset, when members gather in the walnut-paneled library for aperitifs served in Murano glassware.”
- “Membership includes year-round access to the heated saltwater pool, twice-weekly linen service, and priority reservations at our coastal dining room where the menu changes with the fishing boats' morning return.”
- “Since 1987, the same family of stonemasons has maintained the terracotta floors — a detail members notice in the way afternoon light pools in the entrada's geometric patterns.”
Do
- Use full sentences with classical proportion
- Cite specific materials and craft details
- Treat amenities as understood standards
- Reference Mediterranean traditions by name
- Let warmth emerge through precision
Don’t
- Never use exclamation marks or hype
- Avoid casual contractions or colloquialisms
- No 'discover' or 'experience' soft-sell
- Never start with 'Welcome to'
- Omit superlatives and comparative claims
Positioning
TaglineWhere the Mediterranean pauses for those who've earned the view
MissionClub Mare exists to provide discerning men a permanent Riviera sanctuary — where achievement is assumed, not performed, and every summer afternoon unfolds with the unhurried precision of ritual.
Market positionprestige
DifferentiationWhile contemporary members clubs manufacture exclusivity through theatrical minimalism and fabricated scarcity, Club Mare operates as the established Mediterranean institution — the place where men of genuine accomplishment have gathered for decades, drawn not by velvet ropes but by heated saltwater pools, twice-weekly linen service, and the specific quality of shade cast by white sailcloth at 4pm. This is not a club performing heritage; it is the place Loro Piana executives escape to between Milan and Capri, where the bar stocks your preferred Campari ratio without asking.
Audience
Established creative directors and entrepreneurs in their late 30s to early 50s who've transitioned from chasing recognition to curating experience — men who commission bespoke suits not for logos but for drape, who know the difference between Carrara and Calacatta, who've earned the right to summer routines that don't require Instagram documentation. They occupy positions of quiet authority in media, finance, architecture, and hospitality.
Essence
Club Mare opened in 1987 when three Marbella hoteliers acquired a shuttered villa on the coast and commissioned local stonemasons to restore its terracotta floors and walnut panelling to exacting original standards. What began as a private refuge for friends who valued long lunches and uninterrupted conversation became the Riviera sanctuary it remains today — a place where heated saltwater, twice-weekly linen service, and brass fixtures catching afternoon light constitute the entire manifesto. The club doesn't perform heritage; it simply maintains the same standards its founders established when they first opened the pool deck at dawn.
consideredsun-warmedself-possessedtactileunhurrieddiscerning
Values
- Permanence
- We commission furniture built to last forty summers, not four seasons.
- Restraint
- The loudest thing in the room is the quality of the silence.
- Appetite
- We believe in the second Negroni, the third course, the pleasure of excess within form.
- Precision
- Every brass fitting is lacquered on a Tuesday, every linen napkin pressed to the same diagonal crease.
- Recognition
- Membership is granted to those who already understand what we don't need to explain.
Logos
primary
Primary lockup — full crest and wordmark
monogram
Monogram — initialed crest
mark
Symbolic mark — Mediterranean crest
wordmark
The Linen Press Wordmark
Visual direction
Style
Mediumphotography
AestheticMedium-format discipline meeting Slim Aarons ease — precise framing of warm Mediterranean materials in natural light. Shallow depth of field isolates sun-warmed brass, terracotta, linen, and pool-tile aquamarine against softly blurred ground, favouring the tonal warmth of late afternoon over midday clarity. Compositions hold confident distance, trusting negative space and the inherent texture of inhabited surfaces — condensation rings on marble, canvas-shadow geometry, citrus against zinc — over graphic intervention or styled arrangement.
Look
Lightingindirect Mediterranean sun through canvas awnings, warm shadow gradients across stone, golden hour amber filtering through palm fronds, soft backlighting that reveals linen texture without harsh edge
Opticsmedium format aesthetic, 80mm equivalent focal length, gentle subject separation with creamy bokeh, confident mid-distance framing that trusts negative space, shallow depth of field on details—brass fixtures, condensation beads, citrus peel oils
Texturessun-warmed travertine with mineral veining visible, heavyweight linen with natural slub and wrinkle, teak weathered to silver-grey patina, hand-troweled plaster showing subtle irregularity, sailcloth with directional weave catching backlight
Surface qualitytactile and temperature-specific—surfaces you want to touch, brass warm from afternoon sun, marble cool in shade, lacquered navy with hand-rubbed depth, fabrics showing lived-in character not showroom crispness, poolside stone with water-darkened edges
Feel
Moodlate afternoon terracotta warmth, post-swim aperitif, the particular satisfaction of belonging without proving it
Energylow-medium intensity, settled ease, confident leisure
Paceunhurried, golden-hour slow, the rhythm of a long lunch extending into evening
Moodboard
Shooting recipes
- Poolside brass detail at 4pm — 80mm, f/2.8, shallow depth isolating fixture, tight crop on metal warmth, direct late afternoon sun warming brass rail from camera right, golden amber quality, slight lens flare haze
- Canvas shadow geometry on terracotta — 50mm, f/4, moderate depth across architectural plane, three-quarter downward angle, white sailcloth awning diffusing midday sun, creating sharp diagonal shadow edge across warm stone
- Marble tabletop still-life evidence — 80mm, f/2, shallow depth on glass and surface, overhead-oblique angle, soft indirect afternoon glow from camera left, catching condensation beads and marble veining, warm ambient fill
- Teak and canvas weathered portrait — 65mm, f/2.8, subject separation from background texture, mid-distance framing showing chair entirety, filtered golden hour through palm fronds, dappled warm light across weathered surfaces, soft directional from left
- Golden hour inhabited leisure — 80mm, f/2, selective focus on hands or gesture, environmental blur suggesting location, warm amber backlight through awning edges, subject in open shade, gentle rim light on linen fabric texture
- Lacquered navy surface macro — 80mm macro, f/2.2, extreme shallow depth on reflective surface, close crop revealing depth, indirect warm glow creating gradient across lacquer, slight specular highlight revealing hand-rubbed layers
Cast
Characters
The Publisher
Mid-50s, contemplative demeanor, salt-and-pepper beard, linen shirt in soft terracotta tucked into navy trousers. Reading glasses on chain, always with a first edition or obscure literary journal. Photographed in the library corner with afternoon light, hand-thrown ceramic ashtray beside him, leather notebook open.
The Collector
Mid-60s, silver-haired, always in cream linen shirt unbuttoned at the collar, navy tailored trousers, leather loafers without socks. Gestures with a Negroni while discussing provenance of mid-century ceramics. Wears a vintage Patek Philippe on a worn leather strap, speaks three languages, photographed mid-conversation on the terrace at golden hour.
The Vintner
Late 40s, sun-weathered face, athletic build, cream linen shirt with rolled sleeves, navy shorts, espadrilles. Holds wine glasses to light, discusses terroir and harvest years. Captured at dining tables examining decanters, or poolside in late afternoon with rosé, gesturing about Provençal vineyards with the authority of ownership.
The Gallerist
Early 40s, sharp features, dark hair slicked back, navy Cuban collar shirt, cream tailored trousers, minimal gold jewelry. Youngest regular, bridges classic Club Mare sensibility with contemporary edge. Photographed discussing emerging artists at the indoor bar, or reviewing auction catalogs on terrace lounger, martini catching crystal light.
The Diplomat
Early 50s, distinguished tan, impeccably dressed in navy blazer over cream polo, cream linen trousers. Always photographed in transition—crossing from pool to restaurant, leaning against walnut paneling, introducing members to one another. Carries himself with the ease of someone equally comfortable in Tangier or Milan.
The Architect
Late 40s, lean build, dark hair graying at temples, always in tailored terracotta linen shirt and navy chinos. Tortoiseshell glasses, minimal Scandinavian watch, hands often gesturing to explain spatial relationships. Captured reviewing blueprints at the outdoor bar or studying light patterns on geometric tile, espresso always within reach.
Locations
The Library Bar
Floor-to-ceiling walnut paneling encloses this interior sanctuary, where leather Chesterfields face built-in shelving lined with maritime histories and architectural monographs. Brass reading lamps pool warm light onto herringbone parquet, while the bar itself—clad in navy lacquer with brass rail—offers single malts and pre-dinner vermouths. Arched windows frame citrus groves beyond, filtered through sheer linen.
The Pool Colonnade
A rhythmic series of whitewashed arches frames the infinity pool's northern edge, each column capped in smooth terracotta. Members pass through this shaded corridor between changing pavilions and terrace, their footsteps echoing on hand-laid tile. Brass hooks hold folded towels monogrammed with the Club Mare insignia, while potted palms stand sentinel in glazed ceramic urns that catch the filtered Mediterranean light.
The Outdoor Bar
Positioned poolside beneath a pergola draped in jasmine, this open-air bar features a geometric mosaic counter in navy, white, and terracotta. Bartenders work against a backdrop of mirrored shelving reflecting citrus garnishes and aperitif bottles. Surrounding high-top tables in teak and brass accommodate members in linen shirts, gesturing mid-anecdote over Aperol spritzes as the sun descends behind Marbella's hills.
The Grand Terrace
An expansive stone terrace stretching toward the Mediterranean, bordered by whitewashed arcades and punctuated with navy-striped canvas umbrellas over teak loungers. Geometric terracotta tiles frame the infinity pool where aquamarine water meets horizon. Brass-trimmed bar stations emerge from walnut cabinetry, while potted citrus trees cast dappled afternoon shadows across members nursing Negronis in crystal tumblers.
The Dining Room
Whitewashed vaults rise above tables dressed in monogrammed linen, each setting anchored by hand-thrown ceramic chargers in terracotta and cream. Naval-blue velvet banquettes line one wall beneath oil paintings of historic regattas, while French doors open onto a vine-covered loggia. Afternoon light streams through arched apertures, illuminating brass candelabras and the glint of crystal wine glasses awaiting the evening service.
Products
Leather-Bound Guest Register
Cognac vegetable-tanned leather binding with brass corner guards, housing cream laid paper suitable for fountain pen signatures. The spine embossed with the club cipher in blind stamping. Pages organized by date with generous margins for member notes and observations, accumulating into an informal chronicle.
Monogrammed Linen Pool Towels
Portuguese linen in off-white with navy threadwork, each embroidered with the interlocking 'CM' cipher in a corner. The weave is dense enough for absorbency yet refined enough for prolonged sun lounging. Laundered to a soft hand that improves with each wash, rolled in walnut caddies beside the pool.
Murano Cocktail Glassware
Mouth-blown tumblers and coupe glasses in pale amber and smoked grey, sourced from a fourth-generation Venetian workshop. Each glass features a subtle spiral trapped within the walls—visible only when catching afternoon light. The weight distribution ensures balance in the hand during terrace conversation.
Hand-Thrown Ceramic Ashtrays
Substantial vessels in deep terracotta and cobalt glazes, thrown on the wheel by artisans in Andalusia. Each piece carries slight irregularities that reveal its handmade provenance—a thumb impression along the rim, variations in glaze pooling. Weighted to resist coastal breezes, proportioned to accommodate cigars without pretension.
Ceramic Dinner Service
Artisanal stoneware in warm cream with hand-painted cobalt rim detail, commissioned from a ceramicist in Valencia. Irregular edges and subtle variations in thickness distinguish each plate. The glaze develops a fine crackle pattern with use, creating a visual patina that club members recognize as evidence of countless refined meals.
Brass Serving Trolley
Two-tiered cart in brushed brass with teak shelving, modeled after nautical service pieces from 1960s Italian ocean liners. Rubber-lined wheels ensure silent movement across terracotta tile. Used for tableside carving, aperitif presentation, and the ceremonial display of the day's catch before preparation.
Applications
