Beyond the Box: Storytelling Through Packaging Design with Yuewei Shi

Being recognized by the NY Product Design Awards is a meaningful affirmation of my design philosophy. It reinforces my belief that experience-driven design, grounded in storytelling and experimentation, can create impact beyond aesthetics. It motivates me to continue pushing how design shapes the way people experience brands.

This recognition has strengthened my confidence in pursuing concept-led, experience-focused work. It has encouraged deeper conversations around narrative, prototyping, and experimentation, and has opened opportunities for projects that value both creative exploration and strategic thinking.

Experimentation is central to my creative process and is often where the most meaningful ideas emerge. I frequently explore packaging structures as a storytelling tool, using form and interaction to elevate the unboxing experience and make packaging an integral part of how a brand is felt and remembered.

I often draw inspiration from outside the design industry. Observing everyday behaviors, cultural rituals, or systems in unrelated fields helps me break familiar patterns and approach design challenges from unexpected perspectives.

Design is not just about visual impact. Strong outcomes come from defining the right problem, understanding user experience, and iterating through research, prototyping, and testing. The visuals are the result of that process, not the starting point.

I approach this balance as collaborative problem-solving rather than compromise. Through research and open communication, I align creative ideas with client goals while addressing the motivations behind their decisions. This allows the work to stay both strategic and authentic.

One of the challenges was prototyping the bottles independently. I used 3D printing to test scale, ergonomics, and details, allowing me to refine the concept through hands-on experimentation and ensure it translated into a convincing physical experience.

I step away from design and shift my mindset. Creating distance helps me return with a clearer perspective and often leads to unexpected ideas.

I strive to create work that supports people both practically and emotionally. Empathy, responsibility, and care toward users and the environment are values I aim to infuse into every design decision.

Stay curious about life, not just design. Observation, openness, and persistence help shape a meaningful and sustainable design practice.

I’m most excited by collaborations with designers who bring perspectives very different from my own. Those contrasts often lead to more unexpected and rewarding creative outcomes.

I wish more people would ask what makes a design meaningful. For me, every project needs a clear intention, whether it’s supporting users, improving experiences, or considering sustainability. That purpose is what gives the work depth and longevity.