Chocolate Sculpture Design
A luxurious chocolate sculpture and custom packaging designed to captivate and delight, blending high-end fashion with culinary artistry.
Problem Statement
The brief for this project was to create a prototype of a luxury chocolate piece and packaging inspired by a high-end fashion brand. This involved designing and fabricating a sculptural chocolate form using 3D modelling, vacuum forming, and chocolate casting, as well as crafting custom packaging through laser cutting and structural design. The final outcome needed to align with the brand’s identity while ensuring both aesthetic appeal and functionality.
Solution Overview
Inspired by the bold and avant-garde aesthetic of Alexander McQueen, I designed a sculptural chocolate piece that reflects the brand’s signature blend of elegance and macabre. The final design—a human skull with stag antlers—was created using Fusion 360 for modelling, 3D printing for mould-making, and vacuum forming for chocolate casting. To complement the sculpture, I designed custom packaging influenced by Victorian jewellery boxes but adapted to McQueen’s structural and dramatic style. Using Rhino and laser cutting, I developed a cylindrical box with a living hinge, incorporating etched imagery of skulls, wings, and antlers to reinforce the brand’s storytelling. The result is a striking, interactive piece that reimagines chocolate as a sculptural, luxury experience.
Main Goals
The primary objective of this project was to merge Alexander McQueen’s dramatic storytelling with an immersive chocolate experience. Key goals included:
Designing a sculptural chocolate piece that was both visually striking and structurally sound.
Creating luxury packaging with a unique unboxing experience that reflected McQueen’s themes of hidden reveals and intricate detailing.
Utilising 3D printing and laser cutting to achieve precision in both the chocolate mould and packaging.
Challenges & Issues
Throughout the process, I encountered several challenges that required creative problem-solving:
Chocolate Moulding: The original concept of a life-sized 3D skull had to be adjusted due to vacuum forming limitations. To overcome this, I redesigned it as interlocking flat pieces, ensuring structural stability while maintaining visual impact.
3D Printing & Prototyping: The first print failed due to adhesion issues, but refinements in setup and material selection led to a successful outcome.
Laser Cutting & Assembly: The packaging design required precise alignment of interlocking pieces. While the structure came together well, minor measurement refinements were noted for future iterations.
Rendering & Presentation: Software limitations required adapting to Blender 4.4, but this led to valuable experimentation with advanced rendering techniques.
Technologies used
Autodesk Fusion 360
Ultimaker Cura
Blender 4.4
Rhino
Adobe Photoshop
Adobe Firefly
Product Designer
Role
Solo creation
Scope
3 months
Project duration
Project Gallery
Process
Research and Ideation
This project was inspired by Alexander McQueen’s gothic aesthetic, blending nature, Victorian jewellery boxes, and theatrical storytelling. To bring this vision to life, I explored laser-cutting techniques, 3D chocolate moulding, and McQueen’s signature motifs like skulls, antlers, and wings.
For the chocolate, I designed an interlocking 3D skull structure, taking inspiration from IKEA’s Moose and Rabbit chocolate sculptures. Careful adjustments ensured the pieces fit together seamlessly while maintaining structural integrity.
For the packaging, I chose a circular design with a symmetrical opening, creating a delicate contrast between organic curves and strong geometric elements. This design enhanced the unboxing experience, aligning with McQueen’s love for hidden reveals. While I initially considered tartan etching, I opted for a cleaner, more refined aesthetic that better suited the brand.
Digital Design and Refinement
Using Fusion 360, I developed the 3D chocolate model, refining its structure for both visual impact and ease of assembly. A slight taper angle allowed for smooth chocolate release, and fragile areas were reinforced for durability.
For the packaging, I designed precision-cut finger joints for secure assembly, while a living hinge created flexibility in the outer wall. The structural elements came together beautifully, balancing function and aesthetics. While intricate etching details were part of my original plan, I prioritised perfecting the core design first, leaving room for enhancements in future iterations.
3D Printing and Prototyping
The 3D print captured the design’s details effectively, providing a strong and precise prototype for vacuum forming the chocolate moulds. The moulding process successfully transferred intricate details, setting the stage for a smooth casting process.
Chocolate Casting and Assembly
Both dark and white chocolate were carefully tempered and poured into the moulds. The results were striking, with the interlocking pieces fitting together as planned to form the sculptural skull. The combination of colors and textures enhanced the overall impact, creating a visually dramatic yet refined final piece.
Laser Cutting and Packaging Assembly
The laser-cut packaging came together quite well, with the circular form and interlocking elements functioning mostly as intented but needed some slight adjustment that were easily filed down as a simple fix. The living hinge added the desired flexibility, and the final structure balanced elegance with structural integrity. Assembly was smooth, and the finished piece provided a luxurious unboxing experience.
Rendering and Presentation
To visualise the final design, I used Blender 4.4 to create high-quality renders, experimenting with lighting inspired by McQueen’s dramatic runway presentations. Spotlights and a subtle magenta-red backlight added depth and contrast, enhancing the sculptural quality of both the chocolate and packaging. The final compositions effectively showcased the materials, structure, and overall concept in a refined, high-impact presentation.
Final Outcome
A Bold Intersection of Fashion, Art, and Chocolate
This project successfully merges McQueen’s storytelling with an immersive chocolate experience, combining digital fabrication with handcrafted refinement. The final design balances intricate detailing, bold contrasts, and hidden reveals to elevate the unboxing experience. With strong foundations in both aesthetics and functionality, this concept sets the stage for further material exploration and refinement, pushing the boundaries of luxury chocolate design.
