Intertype Studio has partnered with SK-II to transform Qixi gifting into an immersive expression of love. Inspired by the myth of the cowherd and the weaver girl, the design mimics a floral bouquet that reveals SK-II’s products inside, creating a memorable, shareable unboxing moment that boosts user-generated content during the festival.
Intertype Studio has taken one of Asia’s most cherished love legends and transformed it into a tangible, modern expression of affection for today’s beauty consumers. Their latest collaboration with prestige skincare brand SK-II for the Qixi Festival isn’t just a packaging solution — it is a sensory experience, a storytelling ritual, and a love letter wrapped in design. In a market where gifting has become almost as meaningful as the product itself, Intertype’s approach taps into emotion and cultural symbolism, ensuring that every detail feels worthy of the occasion.
Qixi — often called the Chinese Valentine’s Day — carries a timeless story at its core. The tale of the cowherd and the weaver girl has been woven into Chinese culture for centuries. Two lovers, separated by the vast stretch of stars, are allowed to reunite just once a year — their meeting made possible when thousands of magpies form a living bridge in the sky. While modern celebrations embrace luxury shopping, romantic dinners, and social media declarations of love, the meaning remains rooted in devotion that endures time and distance. It is this deep emotional resonance that premium brands must tap into each year, and SK-II — a brand steeped in stories of transformation and beauty — saw an opportunity to bring the legend to life in a way that customers could hold, unwrap, cherish, and remember.
Flowers, especially during Qixi, are more than decorative. They are a promise, a gesture that says “you matter” without words. They are a classic symbol of courtship — and a major focus of retail activity around the festival. But Intertype Studio recognised something more modern about the act of gifting: the moment of unboxing has become a performance. It is a spectacle shared on social media, a ritual to be documented and experienced collectively. The giver wants to impress, to create a moment that offers surprise, delight, intimacy — and digital sparkle. A beautifully presented gift enhances the emotional weight of the celebration, ensuring that the relationship between giver and receiver is captured not only in memories but also in the tangible keepsake that remains long after the flowers wilt.
With this insight, the studio set out to create a design that doesn’t merely accompany the moisturiser — it enriches its meaning. The unfolding of the SK-II product becomes an unfolding of the Qixi legend itself. The packaging mimics a stunning bouquet, as if selected by the cowherd for his beloved weaver girl. It is a romantic illusion turned into reality: soft, layered petals bloom open to reveal the skincare treasure nestled at the heart of the bouquet. The natural qualities of SK-II’s moisturiser — known for its transformative ingredients and premium textures — are emphasised through this floral metaphor. Beauty, in this case, is not only on the skin but in the storytelling.
The choice of materials reflects both luxury and thoughtfulness. The packaging is constructed from carefully crafted cardboard, but the finishes and structural ingenuity elevate it far beyond a typical box. Consumers are encouraged to keep it — not because they must, but because they genuinely want to. It becomes a keepsake for storing small treasures, letters, jewellery, or personal mementoes. A gift that continues to hold meaning long after the skincare product has been used up becomes a rare and precious phenomenon in today’s consumer landscape. It aligns with sustainability in spirit — reusability through emotional attachment rather than obligation.
Every phase of the gifting moment is considered: the first sight of the bouquet-inspired form, the gentle unfolding of petals, the anticipation of what lies within, and finally, the proud reveal of the SK-II moisturiser — all of which build an emotional crescendo. It is designed to be touched, admired, filmed, photographed, and shared. And in the era of aesthetic-driven social communication, that is as essential to a campaign’s success as traditional media spend. Where gifting once remained a private exchange, the modern gesture is amplified through technology — and Intertype Studio ensures that SK-II’s Qixi designs are worth sharing.
This approach has already yielded powerful results. User-generated content across social platforms spiked dramatically throughout the festival period, as receivers unwrapped their Qixi gifts for audiences who, in turn, grew curious about the skincare brand’s romantic presentation. The packaging became an ambassador, a storyteller, and a cultural expression — expanding SK-II’s presence without a single promotional push. It became something people wanted to show off.
What sets this campaign apart is its emotional alignment. Rather than plastering festival icons or clichés onto a box, Intertype Studio chose to channel the spirit of Qixi — eternal love fighting against separation — through a thoughtful object designed to be cherished. The cowherd’s symbolic bouquet becomes the bridge between mythology and modern romance. The user is no longer just a consumer but a participant in an old lunar dream. And whether or not they are familiar with the traditional story, they feel the sentiment: love that has journeyed far deserves a beautiful arrival.
For SK-II, this gifting strategy reinforces premium positioning. It transforms a product purchase into a deeper investment — a decision driven by meaning rather than impulse. In the beauty industry, where competition is fierce and brand loyalty is delicate, creating such moments of personal connection matters. Consumers aren’t simply looking for a moisturiser — they are looking for a vehicle for love, for expression, for memory. The Qixi design takes that desire and wraps it into something physical, emotional, and lasting.
Intertype Studio shows that design is not merely decoration; it is translation. It turns cultural legends into modern communication. It shifts perception — from a bottle on a shelf to a treasure inside a floral dreamscape. It creates value where none previously existed through storytelling and symbolism. Their work demonstrates a deep understanding of the consumer psyche: what we buy, why we give, and how we show care in a world where everything moves fast but love asks us to slow down.
As Qixi continues to grow in commercial significance across China and beyond, brands will undoubtedly seek ways to stand out — but SK-II’s bouquet-in-a-box demonstrates that winning hearts requires more than beautiful artwork. It requires emotion, intention, and sensitivity to tradition. It demands design that invites both delight and devotion.
Intertype Studio has woven magic into cardboard and petals. They have turned the myth of Qixi into an immersive, modern ritual. In doing so, they prove that even in the age of instant gratification, love — thoughtfully wrapped — can still feel timeless.
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