client:
HIPDOT X MY CHEMICAL ROMANCE
In 2021 makeup company Hipdot acquired the license for rock band My Chemical Romance. In total Hipdot created three makeup lines, each centered around a different My Chemical Romance album.
Though I was originally tapped to design the enamel pins for these makeup lines, my knowledge of the band’s discography and the worldbuilding surrounding them lead to bigger roles in packaging design and creative direction in these official collaborations. This was my first time working with the official My Chemical Romance license and lead to more opportunities working for the band.
danger days
phase 1: DESIGNING packaging + pinS
The first draft of the DANGER DAYS makeup collection lacked references to the unique visuals of the album, a story about a gang of vigilantes in a post-apocalyptic wasteland. Hipdot knew the spread of makeup products they wanted to offer and needed help with the storytelling aspect of the packaging.
I designed the packaging for all makeup products, enamel pins and the collector’s box, and production artists were brought in where needed to make the files production-ready.
Above: Lip gloss concepts referencing the Danger Days characters vs. the final lip gloss packaging. Below: Final collection packaging.
danger days
PHASE 2: CREATIVE DIRECTION OF PHOTOGRAPHY
Hipdot’s photography team was in charge of flat-lays, but it was my suggestion to bring in talented set designer and photographer Ren Cannon to create an “immersive” photoshoot for the products. Ren’s existing knowledge of My Chemical Romance allowed them to build sets in their backyard to mimic the post-apocalyptic world seen in the album’s music videos.
I art directed the photography and even supplied the resin ray gun props, which are limited edition replicas from my own merch collection.
danger days
PHASE 3: CREATIVE DIRECTION OF Marketing
The marketing for DANGER DAYS for its release in 2010 was inventive and specific, and I suggested we mimic that marketing leading up to the announcement of the official Hipdot X MCR collection for the album.
It was also my direction to involve My Chemical Romance fans with notoriety in the fandom space to help promote the album, rather than relying on the usual methods of marketing and influencers– I reached out to fandom creators, from comic artists to podcasters, to involve them in the launch. I believe that the warm welcome the collaboration received from the fan community was in part because of this involvement, which lent authenticity and legitimacy to the quality of the project.
Execution of the marketing done by Hipdot’s team and social media manager Natalie Mazal. Comic book art by @vesselester + @happy_humbug76 on Instagram.
the black parade
phase 1: packaging + pin design
After completion of the DANGER DAYS makeup collection, it was time to tackle another for My Chemical Romance’s most prolific album: THE BLACK PARADE. By the time I was brought on Hipdot already had already begun the design process and knew what products they wanted to create, so my involvement was suggesting artwork for the product packaging and pins.
My idea was to use the existing artwork created for the album by illustrator James Jean whenever possible. I used provided artwork, as well as my own high-resolution scans of the original album booklet, to make James Jean’s artwork production-ready to be used in the makeup packaging and enamel pins.
Right: Lipstick packaging concepts vs. the final product.
Final packaging and enamel pins utilizing James Jean’s original Black Parade artwork.
THE BLACK PARADE
PHASE 2: CREATIVE DIRECTION OF PHOTOGRAPHY
After our successful collaboration on the DANGER DAYS collection, I again tapped set designer and photographer Ren Cannon to tackle the in-world photography for THE BLACK PARADE. Our goal was to recreate the set of their music video for “Welcome to the Black Parade”, from the parade float the band is staged on to the destroyed city in the background. Ren utilized recyclables and found objects to create the perfect backdrop for the final photoshoot.