Fahda Chocolate - Saudi Founding Day Special Edition — 2023
Scope: Concept development, cultural research, packaging design, pattern system, chocolate mold design, campaign visual creative direction
Project Overview
A limited-edition collection created to celebrate Saudi Founding Day, translating national heritage into a contemporary, premium chocolate experience rooted in culture, craftsmanship, and symbolism.
The Challenge
Saudi Founding Day carries deep cultural and emotional significance. The challenge was to design a product that honored the Kingdom’s diverse regional identities without feeling literal, folkloric, or dated, while remaining aligned with Fahda’s refined and feminine brand language.
The Idea & Creative Direction
The core concept was unity through diversity; Saudi Arabia’s regions each carry their own visual language, materials, and architectural expressions. Rather than presenting them separately, the idea was to bring all regions together into one cohesive system, symbolizing the Kingdom’s unity.
The triangle became the central design element:
- Inspired by Najdi architectural window forms
- Representing strength, foundation, and balance
- Serving as a modular shape that could scale across packaging and product design
Each triangular box represented a Saudi region, unified through form but differentiated through pattern and texture.
Cultural Pattern System
Each region was represented using an authentic cultural motif, carefully researched and reinterpreted into a contemporary embossed pattern:
- Central Region: Najdi wooden door patterns
- Eastern Region: Traditional plaster motifs
- Southern Region: Al-Qatt Al-Asiri patterns
- Northern Region: Al-Sadu textile patterns
- Western Region: Roshan balcony patterns
All patterns were embossed onto the triangular boxes, creating a tactile experience that elevated the sense of craftsmanship and heritage.
To reinforce unity, the shopping bag design combined all regional patterns into a single composition, symbolizing Saudi Arabia as one interconnected identity.
Product & Chocolate Mold Design
The concept extended beyond packaging into the product itself. Custom chocolate molds were designed to reflect the Founding Day narrative:
- A triangular chocolate featuring the Saudi King on a horse, symbolizing leadership and history
- A geometric triangular chocolate incorporating Founding Day slogans and forms
- A chocolate featuring the map of the Kingdom
- A chocolate carrying the Fahda logo, grounding the collection in brand identity
