Design: Ruben Perez | Country: United States
The Grateful Dead celebrated the 50th anniversary of their beloved Europe 72’ tour this April. Joya, the Brooklyn-based design studio and fragrance brand, joined hands with the legendary rock group to celebrate their iconography with a new line of perfumed art candles.
The Grateful Dead art candles are available in three fragrances and colors—Lemon Drop, Sour Strawberry, and Cotton Candy. The outer packaging has been designed by Ruben Parez, a creative artist known for his unique approach. The idea revolves around art school students, the dancing bears, sculpting Bertha—the human skeleton holding roses. Bertha became an iconic symbol that represented the band’s music. The packaging evokes the sentiments associated with the band and their music.
Frederick Bouchardy, the founder of Joya, said:
“I am into the Dead’s music and mesmerized by their iconography and the passion they inspire in their community. In a sense, this is the kind of connection we strive to create with our own. From a design perspective, we set the bar higher every time. So, this took a long time to develop and produce, especially considering all the complications brought on by the pandemic: lack of consistency, turnover, and supply chain. You know the rest.”
While the outer packaging is beautifully illustrated, the inner packaging uses Green Cell Foam to keep it eco-friendly. The candles are now available on Joya’s official website.
