Vanessa Nguyen X Henne

We’re pleased to share this limited-edition gift packaging with our community for the holiday season. Available exclusively in our boutiques from 1st December.

Vanessa’s unique aesthetic is thoughtful, expressive and evocative - resonating with our own minimalist ethos: a quiet kind of luxury that feels personal and joyful. Through this collaboration, we invite our community to experience gifting not just as an exchange of objects, but as a moment of art, intention and celebration.

We caught up with Vanessa in our new Armadale boutique to hear about the artistry and intention behind the collaboration, as well as her holiday rituals and approach to thoughtful gifting throughout the holiday season.  

Can you talk us through your creative process for this project? What motifs or inspirations were central to the final artworks you’ve created for the packaging?

The theme was celebration, and I love to celebrate an iconic moment in life with a small treasure or talisman. We worked with the Henne team to discover tiny trinkets that might be meaningful to them. The metallic motifs are intentionally eclectic: a moth, a flower, a button, a fig…
Individually they’re simple, but together they create a sense of nostalgia and play on the idea of collecting. 

For many, holidays are as much about feeling and mood as they are about gifts. How do you hope your designs translate into that emotional space for the recipient?

Holidays are always full of emotion, and these motifs are meant to tap into that feeling of objects you hold onto and memories you keep.

How do you like to spend the holiday season, are there rituals, memories or small traditions that influence your creativity or inform your work?

I love the long coastal drive from Melbourne to Sydney and it’s a ritual I do every year. That drive seems to magically wash away all matters of negativity. You'll find me dipping in the ocean or sharing a yummy meal with friends once home in Sydney. The Summer Holidays are really about switching off. That breathing space really gives me peace to let new ideas surface naturally in my work. It means I can approach my work with a quieter, more intentional energy.

Looking to 2026: what are you hopeful for, both personally and in your creative journey? And when you imagine Henne’s community receiving your designs under their tree or as gifts, what do you hope they feel?

I’m craving more room for slower thinking, deeper craft and projects that feel meaningful rather than urgent. Personally, I’m hoping for a year shaped by simplicity. More time with the people I love, and creative work that feels connected rather than crowded.

When I imagine Henne’s community receiving these designs, I hope they feel a sense of quiet joy. Something understated but deeply considered.

Do you have a personal philosophy around gifting? For example, practical, handmade, sentimental, or experience-based gifts.

I always put thought and intention into gifting. Gifts that truly reflect an understanding of the person receiving them and make them feel seen and appreciated.

Always wrapped with love, beautiful ribbon & a handwritten card. 

I used to hate gift cards, but when chosen with intention, gift cards can be really thoughtful and encourage a loved one to try some place new, and also support a small or local business. There can be so much waste with gifting so the aim is always to purchase something they will love, keep and treasure. 

Is there a gift you’re hoping to receive, or something that would feel especially meaningful to you this year?

Quality time with friends and family is the best gift this year.