AMBER LATHAM: ILLUSTRATION PORTFOLIOChristmas Wrapping Paper Design, UAL x Not Just A Shop
Pictured are the product cut-out shots taken of my winning Festive wrap design for the competition held between University of the Arts London (UAL) and the gift shop, Not Just a Shop.
My concept:
I wanted my design to tap into the festive magic that draws from nature and the turning of the seasons from autumn to winter, with a slight fairytale/folk art inspired feel, while still clearly reading as a Christmas design.
My aim was for the design to appeal in particular to nature-lovers, while still holding wider commercial appeal. I had entered this competition a few years prior, and while my previous entry had made it to the last round and was liked by the judges, it hadn’t quite been commerical enough for them to stock in-store. This useful feedback ensured I put greater focus on commericality when working on this year’s entry, which ultimately paid off.
Photography: Yeshen Venema
The giftwrap sheets were sold online and in-store over the AW21 period, during which it sold out and was re-printed.
Thanks to the wraps’ good sales performance, it was reprinted for AW24. I took this opportunity to propose a slight rework of the design, as while still fond of it, I knew that my practice had developed and improved in the years since.
The rework kept the same elements and colour palette, but refines the details, has more confident linework and improved spacing.
