Hermès Ganache
A luxurious Hermès-inspired chocolate with tailored packaging and elegant craftsmanship
Role
Product Designer
Tools Used
Blender 4.3.2.0
Fusion 360
Adobe Illustrator
Co-pilot
Skills & Responsibilities
User Experience Research
UX/UI Design
Prototyping
UI components
Timeline
2024 (Sep - Nov)
Exquisite Craftmanship, Infinite Style
Introducing Hermès Ganache, a dark chocolate bar crafted that elevates indulgence into an art form. Made from premium ingredients, each bar has a rich and multi-layered flavor and smooth and velvety textures. Designed to melt effortlessly, Hermès Ganache is smooth and luxurious, revealing a perfect blend of complex aroma. Every bite is made more opulent by the gold foil wrapping some parts. The bar’s design reflects Hermès heritage, with a sophisticated and minimalist style packaging that honors the brand’s legacy of refinement and attention to detail. Hermès Ganache is more than a treat for the palette, it is a refined statement of luxury and opulence.
Moodboard
From Imagination to Reality: Sketching the Ideas
To kickstart the design process, I used Co-Pilot for prompts to spark fresh ideas and refine my direction. The AI-assisted approach helped shape my initial thoughts, which I then sketched by hand. Initially, I explored a traditional box lid but after multiple iterations, I opted for a hinge mechanism, enhancing the unboxing experience and reinforcing the sense of luxury. At the same time, I refined the shape of the chocolate pieces into a bar format, ensuring it complemented the sleek packaging design. These sketches helped me strike a balance between aesthetics and functionality. Once my ideas were clear, I transitioned to Adobe Illustrator to finalize the design, refining every detail before moving into 3D modeling.
Bringing the Design to Life in Fusion 360
With the digital design set, I used Fusion 360 to transform them into a functional 3D model.
Structural Precision: Incorporated finger joints and a hinge mechanism for a secure and seamless fit for the packaging.
Chocolate Bar Design: Used precise modeling tools to refine the form and dimensions, ensuring a perfect alignment with the packaging.
Balancing Aesthetics & Functionality: Applied extrusions and surface refinements to maintain a clean and luxurious feel while ensuring practicality.
From Digital to Physical: Crafting the Experience
Once I finalized the design in Fusion 360, I exported the model as DXF files and fine-tuned them in Adobe Illustrator to prepare for laser cutting. This step was crucial for ensuring precise execution of the packaging. For the chocolate bar, I turned to Ultimaker Cura 5.8.0, using it to 3D print the design in grey PLA to achieve the exact form and fit. To create the mold, I turned to vacuum forming, which provided smooth edges and precise shapes, perfectly matching the high-end, Hermès-inspired design.
Adding Texture and Detail in Blender
After finalizing the 3D model, I moved to Blender to create realistic textures and refined the presentation.
Signature Hermès Style: The packaging features a premium grain-textured orange cardboard, inspired by Hermès’ iconic material palette.
Indulgent Chocolate Finish: A glossy, velvety surface was applied to capture the richness of the chocolate.
Gold Foil & Embossed Branding: These details enhanced the luxury appeal, adding a tactile dimension.
Matte Silk Ribbon: Representing the iconic Hermès ribbon, this element reinforced brand identity and elevated the unboxing experience.
Refined Lighting & Photography: I carefully adjusted lighting setups to highlight textures and form, ensuring the final render felt polished.
I explored a plastic material for the packaging but chose not to showcase it as it didn’t align with the desired aesthetic.
Polishing the Presentation: Crafting the Perfect Poster
After finalizing the renders, I transferred the design into Adobe Illustrator to refine the typography and layout. This is where the mockup takes shape in a more refined form. I then applied feedback from my peers and tutor, making several adjustments to improve the overall design. To highlight the changes, I showcased the poster with annotations and arrows pointing from top to bottom, illustrating the progression made to improve the overall composition and message.
Unveiling the Finished Design
Reflection: Lessons from the Process
This project was both challenging and rewarding, pushing me to experiment with materials and lighting to bring my vision to life. It strengthened my ability to balance technical skills with creativity, and I’m eager to keep refining my design style.
What excited me the most?
Working in Blender was intuitive and gave me flexibility with lighting and materials, especially with the gold foils and textures.
The ribbon element added a playful touch to the packaging, creating a memorable unwrapping experience.
What challenges did I overcome?
Importing vector lines into Fusion 360 was tricky at first but I overcame it by using tools such as spline and line tools.
Mastering Blender’s lighting system took time, but experimenting with differing configurations helped me find the right balance.
How will I improve for future projects?
Explore advanced rendering techniques and refine materials finishes in Blender.
Strengthen my early design process by focusing more on mood boards and refined sketches to improve workflow and reduce errors.
Keep integrating playful elements like the ribbon detail to enhance user interaction and experience.