mêmô
overview
mêmô is a stationery brand that focuses on Vietnam’s casual daily life, driving away from the touristy, popular imagery. The packaging design system and the items are meant for the audience to explore or re-live Vietnamese culture through the action of unboxing each item.
Through this project, I hope to inspire more people to learn and embrace Vietnamese culture, enjoy the unboxing experience, and use the items joyfully, knowing each one expresses deeply rooted love for the heritage.
approach
My ideation process began with a focus on authenticity and the simplicity of daily life. After researching the current stationery market, particularly designs from Vietnam, I realized that the market for sentimental, down-to-earth designs was lacking. I wanted the brand to reflect the real, relatable aspects of life, avoiding the typical glorified, touristy imagery. I also explored various stationery and food packaging designs, aiming to merge these influences into something that is both fun and sentimental.
While designing the logo, I was hooked on this concept of bringing familiar shapes into visualization. I brought one of the shapes that appeared in many architecture buildings and also in the very familiar conical hats.
The name of the brand is mêmô, in which “mê” in Vietnamese is to love, to adore, and to be deeply passionate about something. My goal is for the audience to feel this same sense of connection and intensity that the brand embodies.
The patterns take inspiration from the texture of terracotta roof tiles and the rooftops of closely built houses. In Vietnam, homes are constructed in close proximity, and this pattern is designed to reflect the closeness and connection of neighbors.
