Graphic Design student Leanne’s forest fairy tale design was chosen for the national roll-out of Scotland’s first ever Baby Box.
Her idea, which features a forest scene complete with Highland cows, squirrels and the Loch Ness Monster, is now being depicted on boxes given to every new-born until March 2019.
Selected from more than 70 entries, Leanne’s illustration was praised by judges for being visually stimulating and for its interactive element – it can be coloured in and customised by each individual family.
The lid of the box also features a castle which represents the family home and can be customised to include information like birth date, weight and times. It can also act as a family tree or be used to record key milestones.
As part of her prize, Leanne received £1,000 and exclusive mentoring from leading Scottish designers Holly Fulton and Scott Jarvie.
She said: “I have thoroughly enjoyed the experience from concept to realisation and hope that young families will interact with the design I have created.
“It’s really exciting to be involved with the entire process and I've appreciated all the support and encouragement I have received from my mentors so far. The course at Edinburgh Napier has allowed me to develop my graphic design skills and allowed me to participate in this exciting new government initiative.”
The Scottish Government’s Baby Box initiative sees every newborn baby gifted a box of essential items, such as clothes, nappies and books to help ensure they get the best start in life. The primary focus of the scheme is to improve child health and to tackle infant mortality. It has already been implemented in a range of countries around the world.
Minister for Childcare and Early Years Mark McDonald said: “It was an extremely difficult task trying to pick an overall winner but the judges were in agreement that Leanne’s concept should be the first ever design for Scotland’s Baby Box.
“Not only is it incredibly interactive, allowing families to customise and decorate the box throughout the years, it also acts as a multi-purpose memory capsule. It has space to record key milestones, a family tree and even the baby’s handprints or footprints.”
The competition was organised by V&A Dundee and director Philip Long said: “Leanne’s design shone through in the final judging, as her illustration is exceptional and she’s really engaged with the idea that Scotland’s Baby Boxes should inspire creativity in our nation’s young people and their families.”