Last year, beloved Manuka honey brand Comvita joined forces with celebrated New Zealand fashion designer Claudia Li (known for dressing the likes of Michelle Obama, Kendall Jenner and Bella Hadid). As part of her Fall 2022 show at New York Fashion Week last year (for which Comvita was the main sponsor), Li created a series of fashion-forward ‘Honey Bags’ made from the same paracords featured in her ready-to-wear, that were designed specifically to carry Comvita’s iconic jars of Manuka honey.
The collaboration was a successful meeting of minds, with both Comvita and Claudia Li connecting over their shared belief in the importance of heritage. After all, Comvita has been taking its premium-quality honey to the world since 1974 and continues to build on that rich history with spectacular products that put the wonders of pure New Zealand Manuka honey on a global scale. In a way, Li is on a similar path. Her eponymous label is not only a testament to her talent, but is a way for her to explore and express her own heritage, and share that with the international fashion community.
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Now, the two brands are taking their partnership a step further, with Comvita unveiling a raft of new packaging in a custom print that was inspired by the beautiful pieces Li created for her aforementioned collection. Here, the designer developed a unique pattern that picked up on elements from Fall 2022, but brought something different to the table — resulting in a more sophisticated, modern twist on the classic floral motif.
Alongside the new packaging, Li also created beekeeper suits for Comvita, taking what are typically functional pieces and imbuing them with style and character (and creating the potential for more self-expression in the workplace).
An innovative collaboration and one that we didn’t know we needed in our lives (but certainly do), Comvita x Claudia Li is proving to be a creatively fruitful and interesting partnership, that puts both brands in a bold new light. We can’t wait to see what they do next.
Print by Claudia Li.
Beekeeper suits by Jenny Ruan.
Campaign by Cross Cultural Club LTD.
