Cartier Fan Menu Design
Ornate, delicate and utterly bespoke - these fan menu invitations were made for Cartier for their event in Tokyo. We used a handful of our trusted techniques such as flat colour print and gold foil to create these - proving that often the most simple designs can be the most beautiful. Read on to see how we did it.
The Client
We made these invitations for the one and only Cartier - the world famous luxury jewellery brand. We have worked with Cartier on a wide range of projects over the years creating everything from presentation boxes to pop-up invitations.
The Brief
In 2019 we were asked to create custom invitations for Cartier’s event in Tokyo. We were asked to design and print 20 of these invitations, which gave us a chance to be inspired and create some beautiful menu invitations.
The Process
We began by taking inspiration from and paying homage to the city where the event took place - Tokyo. Asian art and design is incredibly unique and influential. It is known for its beautiful ceramics, jades, textiles, poetic painted landscapes, garden design, elaborate goldwork shrines and pagodas. Its beauty in simplicity is one of its most alluring factors - and something we wanted to try and replicate with our menus, in both form and design.
For these custom invitations, we started with a smooth white card which provided a perfect base. The ornate floral design was printed onto the card using flat colour print. The rich watercolour detail, as well as the deep reds and pops of yellow, are made possible by printing at the highest standard, which is something we do best. We also used gold foil in order to decorate and add flourish to the invitation.
The standout of this invitation design is its unique shape. Fans have a deep cultural and historical significance in Asian cultures, and are incredibly symbolic. We wanted to pay respect to this in creating these invitations, and used the distinctive shape of the fan to inspire our work. We used die-cutting on the various panels to create a cookie-cutter effect. We then tied this together with an eyelet and ribbon at the base. Despite looking incredibly intricate, this design was one of our more straightforward creations, proving how beauty can come from the most simple techniques.
The Result
The outcome was a menu design that was worthy of Cartier's special event - In keeping with Asian traditions, whilst also being uniquely on brand, it was a beautiful addition to a superb evening.
Menu design, Invitation Design and More
Are you looking for custom invitations for your special event? Or perhaps you want us to create a menu design for your brand? Our experts here at Downey can cater to anything - whether you have a concept in mind or not. Please contact our team for information and guidance on how we can create a beautifully bespoke project tailored to you.
