Graphic Design

Wrappu

This afternoon we introduce Wrappu, a vibrant range of flat-packed, fold-it-yourself gift boxes.

Conceptualised by former Melbournian Ngaire Wex and her German partner Micha Kumpf, this innovative brand has a brilliant preservationist back-story.

Written
by
Elle Murrell

The vibrant range of Wrappu giftboxes. Photo – Sonia Mangiapane.

Wrappu designs are flat-packed, fold-it-yourself. Photo – Sonia Mangiapane.

Graphic designers Ngaire Wex and Micha Kumpf in their Munich studio. Photo – Yury Soldatov.

‘The message of a gift is that you want to tell someone you thought of them and took care to select a gift for them. And we felt in the west the giftwrapping options kind of let that message down,’ says Ngaire. Photo – Yury Soldatov.

Ngaire studied in Brisbane before working in Melbourne, then heading abroad. Photo – Yury Soldatov.

As designers, the duo had always put a lot of thought into how they wrap gifts and presented things. Photo – Sonia Mangiapane.

Studio details. Photo – Yury Soldatov.

German/Australian/Japanese design sensibilities, materialised! Photo – Sonia Mangiapane.

Writer
Elle Murrell
3rd of May 2017

‘We have a bit of a story to tell,’ begins Ngaire Wex. The Brisbane-born graphic designer worked in Melbourne before relocating to Shanghai, and later Munich, the home of her partner Micha Kumpf, in 2015. ‘We moved to Germany to learn bookbinding from Micha’s Dad, who is a second-generation master bookbinder in the city of Eisenach, and we also wanted to find a way to carry on his craft,’ explains Ngaire, whose background is in book design, while Micha’s focus is branding.

In between Europe and Australia, the designers lived a ‘fast paced, high-velocity’ lifestyle in China, and made several influential visits to Japan. ‘We were so inspired by Japanese attention to detail, how they present products in shops, and how much love and care they put into presentation,’ recalls Ngaire. ‘We also came to appreciate the value of handcraft, as well as how mastery is passed on and developed from generation to generation.’

Later, working with Micha’s father in Germany, the desire to encompass these values in a project percolated. Several concepts and prototypes arose, until late last year when the duo put Wrappu into production. This range of fold-it-yourself packaging designs (aka Wrappus!) is an attempt to bring thoughtful sensibilities and beauty to Western giftwrap.

Wrappu’s product range is made in Ngaire and Micha’s Munich studio using 100 per cent recycled card stock. Their overarching aesthetic is one of contrasts. ‘Mixing opposing forces – we find that’s where really exciting things happen!’ tells Ngaire, who draws on her skills as a calligrapher. ‘We really love paper and the nostalgia of it, but we want to bring that into a modern context and create something new to enjoy.’

More information and giftboxes are available (with international shipping) from the Wrappu website, here.

Flat-packed, fold-it-yourself giftboxes from Wrappu. Photo – Sonia Mangiapane.

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