A familiar festive favourite has taken on a fresh new look with artist and Queensland College of Art and Design Senior Lecturer, Dr Natalya Hughes, partnering with MECCA and the National Gallery of Victoria to design packaging for the 2024 MECCA Holiday campaign.
With one in three people in Australia expected to see the packaging under their Christmas tree, and the designs fronting stores across the country, the annual campaign has seen the beauty retailer take a break from their iconic pink packaging, to this year explore the theme of ‘together we shine’.
Dr Hughes’ practice has always focused on the potential of decoration and ornamentation, so it was fitting for her vibrant and evocative work to be selected for such a visible moment.
With her arts career having already spanned a few decades, Dr Hughes was taken by surprise when she received a phone call from the National Gallery of Victoria advising she had been selected, especially seeing she hadn’t applied for anything.
“It was completely out of the blue for me but an absolute delight,” she said.
“In my work I often start by looking back at art history and the work of others, and what I noticed was there were lots of image of women but not many by women that had made it into the cannon of art history.
“Running the Honours program for visual arts at the Queensland College of Art and Design, I’m very aware of the challenges my students may have in a world that does not always provide equal opportunities, but being part of this project carries a powerful message of empowerment and shows there are opportunities for women and non-binary artists at all stages of their careers.”
Dr Hughes’ name or signature has been worked into the designs including the store fronts and packaging, plus there is a small statement about why decoration is important to her printed on each of the bags and boxes.
“My presence is very visible – almost disturbingly so,” she laughed.
“The theme of ‘together we shine’ to me means trusting others.
“Working with others can produce really exciting things, so working together with people helps us to say new things, make new things, speak to a whole other new set of ideas that we couldn’t if we had just worked alone.
“It was a wonderful collaboration with the MECCA design team, plus the visual merchandisers and the video team making those digital components.
“They genuinely love art and are genuinely interested in doing collaborations where they’re taking art to their audience.”
Dr Natalya Hughes’ work can be seen on MECCA stores nationwide throughout this holiday season, or at the National Gallery of Australia in Melbourne until February 2025.
