Project mockup (spread view)
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Project mockup (ad on the back of the magazine)
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Texture
A.M. Cassandre’s innovative airbrushing technique was inspiration to give this advertisement a velvety, polished, and rich finish.
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Chiaroscuro
Tamara de Lempicka’s distinctive use of light and shadow influenced the way I infused depth and vitality into the characters I illustrated.
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Pattern
I channeled Erté’s use of intricate patterns to represent the richness and elegance of Art Deco while connecting with contemporary fashion trends to help place the setting of the work in present day.
THE BRIEF
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THE WORK
To create a magazine advertisement that invokes a selected design movement while promoting an existing product or service.
THE PROBLEM
How can we reimagine luxury travel to celebrate 2SLGBTQ+ love, adventure, and identity?
THE SOLUTION
Showcase how Vacaya provides a safe, inclusive, and celebratory space for 2SLGBTQ+ travelers to embrace love, identity, and adventure—without limits.
Image courtesy of VACAYA on Instagram (@myvacaya)
Normandie. A.M. Cassandre. Lithograph. 1935.
The Girls. Tamara De Lempicka. Oil on canvas. 1930.
Queen of the Night. Erte. 1985.
THE MOVEMENT
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WHY ART DECO?
In her 2021 talk The Queer Allure of Art Deco, Dawn Hoskin (National Trust) described Art Deco as fun, hopeful, and liberating. Emerging post-World War I, it symbolized progress and pleasure, embraced by the queer community for its modern, decadent style and celebration of sexual freedom and societal change—perfectly embodying LGBTQ+ identity and liberation.
THE BIG IDEA
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Concept: SAFE SPACES
Here at our cruise vacations, you are always welcome here! Create memorable experiences with your loved one and with new friends as your travel the world with us.
Key Message: At Vacaya, you are welcome, safe, celebrated, and loved.
Big Idea: BE FREE TO BE.
Image courtesy of VACAYA on Instagram (@myvacaya)
DESIGN CHOICES
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Color
I chose a non-traditional color palette to reflect the evolving nature of queer love. Pink and teal evoke romance at sea, with teal adding nautical elegance and pink offering a serene alternative to red. Marigold brings warmth and joy, while aubergine and ivory enhance luxury and calm. This palette challenges traditional norms, celebrating love beyond convention.
Typeface: ROUSSEAU DECO
Mariano Diez of Rostype designed this Art Deco-inspired typeface, blending modernist style with expert craftsmanship. Its elegance and curved corners made the copy feel more welcoming and friendly, making it a perfect choice for the project.
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Image courtesy of Mariano Diez via Behance
MOODBOARD
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After researching Art Deco and consulting my instructor, I focused on three key artists: A.M. Cassandre (dynamic graphic design), Tamara de Lempicka (stylized portraits), and Erté (elegant designs). Their work, along with other influences, guided my advertisement’s balance of serenity, romance, luxury, and elegance.
Image courtesy of VACAYA / Gabriel Goldberg @HollywoodBruisersaya
RESEARCH
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Product: CRUISE VACATIONS
Luxury honeymoon cruises for LGBTQIAPK newlyweds seeking adventure and relaxation before they partake in the married life.
Brand: VACAYA
Vacaya is the first large-scale, adults-only vacation company offering all-LGBTQIAPK cruises and resorts, creating a welcoming space for self-expression, connection, and transformative travel.
Project Type
Tools
Adobe Illustrator
Course
Visual Language
BCIT Graphic Design Program
School Term
Winter 2024
Instructor
Pauline Lai
“Be Free to Be” is an illustrated magazine ad promoting Vacaya’s inclusive luxury cruises for 2SLGBTQ+ travelers. Created for my Visual Language class at BCIT, the brief was to endorse an existing product through the lens of a design movement and make a magazine ad. Art Deco—with its modernism, optimism, and spirit of liberation—was a natural fit, its legacy deeply tied to queer nightlife, sexual freedom, and cultural reinvention in the 1920s and ’30s. Inspired by Vacaya’s values, I centered the concept on “safe spaces”, where queer travelers feel embraced, celebrated, and free to love, leading to the campaign’s big idea: “Be Free to Be.”
Visually, the ad blends A.M. Cassandre’s geometric precision and airbrushed textures, Tamara de Lempicka’s chiaroscuro, and Erté’s ornate stylization to balance elegance, intimacy, and structural clarity. The color palette challenges traditional romantic tropes, evoking joy, calm, luxury, and a nautical sensibility through a distinctly queer lens. These visual and thematic decisions guided my selection of a thumbnail sketch that best captured both the emotional core and aspirational tone of the campaign.
This project reinforced my belief in design’s power to shift perception, celebrate identity, and foster connection. It was a meaningful opportunity to create something visually bold and culturally resonant for a community that deserves joy, visibility, and belonging.
VACAYA MAGAZINE ADVERTISEMENT
SKETCHES
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I explored ten different concepts for this advertisement, experimenting with various angles and poses to balance promoting a luxury cruise with conveying a sense of safety and openness. Ultimately, I focused on the people—the warmth, tenderness, and beauty of freely expressing love in a foreign city where individuals can truly be themselves.
