Edinburgh artist designs new Baby Boxes

And from the summer, the design will feature on Baby Boxes being handed out to new parents across the country.

The artist – graphic design student Leanne Young from Edinburgh Napier University – today pocketed a prize of £1000 and mentoring from leading Scottish designers Holly Fulton and Scott Jarvie.

Her submission was one of more than 70 entries in the design competition run by V&A Museum of Design Dundee which was open to all university and college students across Scotland.

Leanne said: “I am delighted to have won the opportunity to design Scotland’s first Baby Box. I’m looking forward to seeing my ideas become reality, reaching the homes of every newborn baby born in Scotland.

“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.”

From summer until March 2019, the Scottish Government is gifting every newborn baby a box of essential items, such as clothes, nappies and books, to help ensure they get the best start in life.

Following the hugely successful Finnish model, the box is also suitable for babies to sleep in and is also intended to encourage expectant mothers to engage with maternity and antenatal services.

Mark McDonald, minister for childcare and early years, said: “We want Scotland’s Baby Boxes to become a meaningful part of the lives of parents and children so it was clear the design had to be bold, interactive and inspirational.

“All of the entries we received certainly delivered and I would like to congratulate and thank all those who took part. 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.

“Although all babies born in Scotland will receive one of these boxes I am extremely pleased that each one will be completely unique to every family.”

Philip Long, director of V&A Dundee, 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.”

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