Elegance Elevated Without Being Stuffy
Alabaster, the publisher known for its beautifully crafted Bibles and faith-based lifestyle products, has unveiled a refreshed brand identity led by Pentagram. The new visual system reflects Alabaster’s growth over nearly a decade, from a single-product idea to a broader lifestyle brand, and signals its commitment to meeting people wherever they are in their faith journey.
“This rebrand marks a turning point for us: a visual and conceptual transformation that reflects not only who we are, but who we’re becoming,” said Samuel Han, Head of Brand at Alabaster. “We’re evolving to better serve our community through tools and experiences that support spiritual formation in the everyday – whether that’s a morning journal, a study with friends or a quiet moment at home. It’s not just a new look – it’s a new way of showing up.”
Inspired by the biblical story of the woman who broke open a jar of alabaster perfume in an act of radical devotion, the brand has been rooted in beauty, sacrifice and meaning since its 2016 inception. With its new identity, Alabaster is building on that foundation to reflect a broader mission: to support spiritual formation in the everyday through books, journals, studies, music and tools for modern faith practice.
Key elements of the rebrand include a refined logo system featuring both a wordmark and an icon, a new grid-based structure for all future books and an expanded design vocabulary intended to bring consistency and intentionality across both digital and physical touchpoints. The new identity is live across digital platforms, with updates to printed products rolling out over the next six to 24 months.
“For Alabaster it’s a combination of tradition, with a modern interpretation,” said Luke Hayman, partner at Pentagram. “We selected a natural palette – nothing too synthetic. The images of nature are obviously an inspiration. For the typography, we wanted a contemporary interpretation of traditional forms. The letterforms for the word mark – we want elegance, elevated, without being stuffy. And hopefully timeless.”
A subtle but meaningful addition to the brand system is the addition of light filigree lines incorporated into the new icon, representing both the fragrance flowing from the broken jar and the Holy Spirit that fills the room – a visual metaphor that aligns deeply with Alabaster’s origin story and ongoing mission.
“Alabaster is a much-loved brand and we are careful to not create a jarring experience for existing users. Our goal was for the customers to feel like this update mark is the same but better. It should feel ‘right’,” Hayman concluded.
Alabaster’s updated identity speaks to its vision for the future: to serve as a companion for people seeking depth, beauty and devotion – whether in the quiet of the morning or the chaos of modern life.
