AVEC JOIE: A Fragrance Packaging Design That Tells a Story

Yu-Jia Huang's Award-Winning Design Celebrates the Joyful Spirit of Women

AVEC JOIE, meaning "with joy", is a fragrance with a fresh oriental floral scent. The design of the bottle is inspired by the warmth of sunlight, the elegance of petals, and the joyfulness of hot air balloons. As the bottle is slowly tilted, it shifts from a balloon to light flower petals, creating a unique shape from each perspective.

The design process began with the scent. Huang's mother was the initial inspiration, leading to the concept of creating a design dedicated to women who are confident and sophisticated, strong yet romantic. These women have bright souls, enjoy small getaways on sunny holidays, and always bring joy to the people around them.

After sketching out the design of the bottle, Huang made a 3D render to finalize the dimensions. The model was then created from clay and sent to production with instructions on material and color choices. The fragrance packaging measures 60mmx60mmx100mm, and the outer packaging measures 80mmx80mmx140mm.

The design interaction is as unique as the design itself. A peek of gold shines through the package, and as it is opened, the fragrance welcomes the user on a golden platform. The shape of the bottle, initially inspired by hot air balloons, shifts into light flower petals as it is slowly tilted. Each perspective creates its own unique shape.

The project started in January 2016 and finished in May 2016 in New York. It was featured on "Packaging of the World" in February 2017 and received the Marc Rosen Merit Awards in March 2017. The main challenge of this project was to transform smell into a visual experience; how scent represented age, lifestyle, characteristics, color pallet, texture, material, or even food choices. This was an interesting and new design process for Huang.

AVEC JOIE is a testament to Huang's ability to create a design that is not only visually appealing but also tells a story. It is a celebration of the joyful spirit of women, and a tribute to their strength and sophistication. The design is a reminder of the small joys in life, like a sunny holiday or a hot air balloon ride, and the beauty of the world around us.