Men of Myth - A Student Project
The Brief:
To celebrate the success of MECCA’s brand in New Zealand, they want to launch a new range of cosmetic products inspired by its different cities. They need retail packaging created to support the launch that reflects the people, places and cultural history of the city.
The Solution:
I wanted to create a range of nature-inspired scents to bring the wearer that calm, grounded feeling that being around Aotearoa’s natural landscape evokes.
I chose Auckland ('The City of Sails'), Wellington ('The Windy City') and Christchurch ('The Garden City'), due to their nicknames with ties to the natural world and elements. I did a lot of research about Māori mythology and the creation story. I chose specific Atua to represent each of my cities; Tangaroa, Tāwhirimātea, and Tāne Mahuta - the creators and/or guardians of the sea, wind and storms, and the forests respectively. I wanted each product in the range to personify each God in the form of a cologne reflecting their element, their mana and temperament in their stories.
The Manaia:
I wanted an overarching symbol to join each separate part together just as the cities each make up an important part of Aotearoa as a whole. I chose the manaia symbol to do this, as it tied together the three realms of the sky, the land, and the sea, where each of my atua exist and rule. The manaia is a symbol of a mythical being that is said to protect people in all realms. It has the head of a bird, the body of a man, and the tail of a fish (though this can vary between iwi); it is of the sky, land and the sea. It is also considered a messenger that bridges the gap between the spiritual and mortal realms, leading spirits to heaven.
The Kowhaiwhai:
I used kowhaiwhai patterns with meanings that captured the themes and stories behind each of these Gods; the koiri, ngaru and puhoro.
Koiri (for Tāne Mahuta and Christchurch): A repeating koru pattern, the koru curling back into each other. It represents self-reflection, nurturing and to flourish.
Puhoro (for Tāwhirimātea and Wellington): It represents speed, swiftness and agility. It also means bad weather and storms.
Ngaru (for Tangaroa and Auckland): It represents the ocean waves and the cutting of the waves as the waka travelled through them.
The Dieline:
I chose a slip-lid style of box and an inlay with sockets to house the glass products safely in place. This dieline has an elegant, luxurious feel and I saw similar boxes used for upscale designer perfume collections. The inlay I designed allows the products to be displayed clearly, and sit well spaced out within the box. The depth of the inlay shows a glimpse of the kowhaiwhai patterns, appearing above the edge like crashing waves. The smooth slide of lifting the lid adds a satisfying element to the opening experience.
