When Lavazza partnered with Yum China in 2020 to enter the Chinese market, they sought to celebrate the 2024 Lunar New Year of the Dragon with a limited-edition espresso bag design.

My role was to create a front of package design that felt rooted in Chinese cultural tradition, while seamlessly integrating Lavazza’s brand. I researched classical depictions of dragons in ancient Chinese art: elongated, serpentine bodies, stag-like antlers, camel-shaped heads, carp-like scales, and flowing manes. These details informed the illustration, ensuring authenticity and cultural resonance.

The composition centered on a Lavazza espresso cup, instantly recognizable by its shape and blue stripe. Billowing from the cup, I illustrated smoke in the form of the auspicious cloud motif, a traditional Chinese symbol of good fortune and cosmic energy. The swirling clouds intertwined with the dragon, creating movement and balance across the design. Gold foil linework brought the dragon to life against a vibrant red backdrop, a color deeply tied to Lunar New Year traditions and symbolic of celebration, vitality, prosperity, and luck.

Though the design ultimately went unused due to production and timing challenges, it embodied the spirit of the Lunar New Year while honoring Lavazza’s premium brand identity.