Leo Rising, Gemini Midheaven
When Cosmic Playfulness Meets Unbridled Excitement
Gemini paired with Leo is a fucking party. My first instinct with these two was to lean into big, bright, gaudy, borderline disco vibes. With both signs preferring self-directed play over rigid expectations, a Leo with a Gemini Midheaven is looking endlessly for excitement, exploration, and it’s next hyper-fixation.
Gemini's Depth and Intellectual Curiosity
However, the longer they marinated in my brain I started to sing a new tune. Gemini can often be more nuanced and varied than just a surface level ‘social butterfly’. The sign’s mercurial nature isn’t afraid to crack open a book, learn a little about a lot, and try on something new or unexpected. This curiosity, mixed with the near over-the-top dramatics of Leo made me think of the highly decorative (and priced) Gucci wallpaper- specifically the pink Heron and Tiger prints.
Gucci's Artistic Vision: A Marriage of Leo-Gemini Aesthetic
Once I headed down the Gucci path, I couldn’t stop and stumbled into their 2018 campaigns. I was struck at how ‘on-the-nose’ the artistic direction was. It felt soooo perfectly Leo-Gemini. Headed by then creative director Alessandro Michele, we see the high fashion brand merging lush, late 19th century greens with colorful ukiyo-e, a form of woodblock printing that originated in Japan, and rooting those styles into the feel of a classic 16th century oil painting.
It’s niche, it’s maximalist, it’s kind of avant-garde. And it’s certainly not for everyone.
A style icon that reminds me of this very aesthetic is the late Iris Apfel. I would try to be witty and come up with my own description of her, but I think Wikipedia put it best: “Known for her flamboyant style and outspoken personality. Her signature look included colorful clothing, lots of jewelry, and oversized glasses.”
How to Use this Mood board
FONTS
For the main display font, I wanted something that called back to the Art Deco time period and was Sans Serif- enter Kabel, founded in 1927. A lot of 70’s display fonts called back to the geometric fonts of this era, including the Studio 54 logo. Keeping it bold and all caps pulls to the front Leo’s desire to command attention and hold a presence.
I paired that with another geometric sans serif, the cool and ever classy Century Gothic. The contrast in weight keeps these two from competing with each other and highlights the effortless ‘coolness’ that these two signs exude. After digging into the origins of Century Gothic, I was surprised to find out that it only exist in digital form. Created in 1990, this font doesn't have a physical type face like it’s predecessors. This lack of tangibility I thought nicely complimented the air elemental quality of Gemini.
COLORS
Rich and lush yet still energetic and youthful. These signs are sextile to each other, they give bestie energy and complementing colors are preferred. This rich olive green paired with it’s inverted dusted periwinkle create beautiful compliments, while the classic plum and muted flamingo bring a more playful energy to the forefront, also creating an unexpected feminine twist.
GRAPHICS
This style is all about play, youth, drama and fertility. Leo loves to make a statement, and Gemini is right there to provide a nuanced and slightly academic sophistication with an eclectic edge. It’s living, breathing art that you simply can’t look away from. Utilize rich colors with clear boundaries and line work. Don’t be afraid to mix new and old. And there is never such thing as too far- as long as you’re in on the joke. At the end of the day, that’s just what camp is, no?
ARCHETYPES
We’re channeling the Creators ability to innovate and find something new through the power of the magician. It’s all about playing around and finding the happy accidents along the way.
