比起時尚精品的包裝，我更在意的是日用品的包裝。為什麼這麼說呢？你可以把家裡客廳打造得美輪美奐，買一張名師設計的沙發，配上從異國生產的手工地毯，再加上動輒好幾十萬的影音設備，一絲不苟地，將生活本身鍛造成一件精品。然而當你打開廚房和衛生間的抽屜，那些深埋在角落囤積著的日用品，個個看來廉價俗氣，就彷彿是一個象徵著生活的寓言；我到底是真的活得精緻？抑或只是看起來精緻而已呢？
I pay more attention to the packaging of daily necessities compared to the gift wrap that comes with expensive purchases. Why is that so? You can live an exquisite life in a house that is equipped with a nicely-decorated living room, a designer couch, handmade carpet from somewhere exotic, and even an AV system that is worth thousands of dollars. But then when you open the drawers in the kitchen or the bathroom, they are all stuffed with necessities in cheap and tacky packaging — this might be the true reflection of life, you realize; and you wonder, is it a truly exquisite life that I am living? Or do they exist only on the surface?
最近發現了LOLA這個來自美國的女性用品品牌，在官網上他們的自我介紹寫說「我們重新發明了女性用品。」這句話聽來很是囂張，卻又令人精神為之一振，而看過他們的產品和包裝設計，你會覺得他們這句話也許不假。
打破女性品牌喜用粉色花紋的俗套，LOLA的設計語言明顯高明得多，其有著完備的設計邏輯，例如是顏色的利用方面，只集中於不同深淺度的藍、綠、紫三色，作為不同類型商品的各自主要用色。此外，簡約的品牌字樣及說明文字也是品牌的設計重點，除卻在視覺上的清爽，也加強了品牌的專業性所帶來的安心感，而且能夠清晰閱讀到商品的製作成份，也令人對使用他們的貼身用品時更有信心。不過LOLA也不只有在視覺方面下苦工，就是商品用上的文案也是別出心裁，許多時還把顧客逗得會心一笑，像是衛生棉條包裝上的盒蓋，就寫著「This too shall pass.(and until it does, we’re here for you.)」，即使是個不得不面對的煩惱，也總能有更好的應對方法，而LOLA自命他們就是那個方法。儘管在設計和文案都算不上驚為天人，卻是從裡裡外外，都精緻如一的一個品牌。
Recently, I came across LOLA, a feminine care brand from the United States. What they put on their website might come off as a little arrogant: “We’re reinventing feminine care.” But then when you look at their products and packaging, it’s clear the statement is well-deserved.
Unlike other feminine products that are usually packaged in pink and with patterns, LOLA opts for a more classy and clever design that uses shades of blue, green, and purple to categorize their products. In addition, they chose a minimal and simple typeface that is refreshing, visually pleasant, and contributes positively to the legibility and comprehension of their design. Yet, LOLA does more than just stunning visuals for they have some brilliant, thoughtful, and delightful copywriting for their products. For example, on the tampon package it says, “This too shall pass (and until it does, we’re here for you.)” For people who have to deal with this unavoidable (feminine) issue, LOLA is there providing you with better support. Though at the end of the day, Lola might not be the best in design or copywriting, their products are, after all, exquisite from the inside out.
