Gabriela’s European Desserts

Design: Erin Mawhorter
Location: United States
Project Type: Student Project
School: Ball State University
Tutor: Shantanu Suman
Packaging Contents: Cupcakes and Romanian Desserts
Packaging Substrate / Materials: Metal, Cardboard

This design was created for a small bakery in my hometown. Gabriela’s is a traditional bakery with a Romanian twist, inspired by the owner’s home country. These traditions played a role in the patterns, colors, and overall look of the truck and its assets. This truck displays a refined floral pattern which creates an elegant backdrop for the background of wedding photos or large catering events. The design was inspired by pysanky eggs, a traditional Easter decoration of Romania.

These eggs are carefully hand-decorated through a wax-batik process, which takes time and skill to master. This decorative process relates to the care and time Gabriela takes in decorating her desserts, which is why it is reflected in the pattern on the food truck. The menu board and other assets play off of this decorative process as well, with the wording reflecting the dot-ended swirls and floral patterns on the truck. These details create cohesion between all assets of the food truck and relate the brand back to Romania, an important part of the bakery’s identity.

What’s Unique?
The inspiration for this packaging is what makes it unique. Many people are unaware of Romania’s rich history and ties to dessert and decoration. The wax-batik process of the pysanky eggs is an interesting process for artists and bakers alike. The careful practice which goes into finely decorating small objects always conjures awe and the way this idea reflected Gabriela’s desserts was an inspiration to the design. Gabriela’s is a unique bakery, rich with history and stories, which is evident in the design of the food truck.