Behind The Design - Crazy Rich Raisins

On this edition of Behind The Design we will take a look at Crazy Rich Raisins, a seemingly simple design with minor details that can easily be overlooked. Without these details the design, well… Anthony Carmeci of Carmeci Design said it best, “Have you ever attempted to draw a raisin, and not have it look like a ballsack? It doesn't work, and now you'll never unsee that.”

It is important to note that reading beyond this line may contain a minor spoiler or two. These will not ruin the movie for you but remember, you can't unsee them either. You have been warned.

Before we dive right into the components let’s talk about the inspiration behind this comical t-shirt design, Crazy Rich Asians. The 2018 hit comprised a stunning cast of Constance Wu, Henry Golding, Michelle Yeoh, Gemma Chan, Awkwafina, Ken Jeong, and Jimmy O. Yang to name a few. You know your casting is on point when Constance Wu was the first and only actress considered for the main role. The filming was even delayed to adapt to her schedule. ~ IMDb

This sneaky little rom-com certainly caught me by surprise. It’s certainly sappy but the comedic relief had me literally laughing out loud. Furthermore, Crazy Rich Asians did very well to showcase glimpses of Asian cuisine and culture like the mouthwatering street food scene early on in the movie which Eater so kindly lets us know it's the Newton Food Centre. It also puts a spotlight on the unique architecture of Singapore highlighting the Marina Bay Sands, Changi International Airport, and the Supertree Grove at the Gardens by the Bay to name a few.

Famous architecture of Singapore is a perfect lead-in for our design. Just as the Young family had accumulated their wealth through real estate, so did our Crazy Rich Raisins. Our raisins are the descendants of a different Young, that is Lieutenant Colonel Sir Francis Edward Younghusband(Yes, he is real). During his exploits in Asia he encountered Turpan, a prefecture-level city located in the east of Xinjiang, People's Republic of China. The area was known for its premium quality grapes and had even been called “the best grapes in the world” by 19th-century Russian explorer Grigory Grumm-Grzhimaylo. The area also had unique architecture in the form of buildings called chunches.

What is a chunche? A chunche is a kind of building used to make raisins. The building has a dark interior, and the walls are covered with a large number of holes to allow wind to pass through and assist in the drying process through evaporation. Seeing an opportunity to capitalize on the high quality grapes of Turpan, Youngblood amassed a fortune through chunche development. Fast forward 130 years and our Crazy Rich Raisins, the descendants of Youngblood, are the chunche barons of Raisia.

Now that we have the history of our Crazy Rich Raisins, how do you portray raisins that have more money than they know what to do with? Well, you start with a nod to the Emmy Award winning Sun-Maid California Raisins of the 80s and 90s. Then you have to ask yourself some questions. What do rich Raisins have?

• Big Fancy sunglasses? Check.
• Wad of cash? Check.
• Crowns to boost their egos? Check.
• Floor covered in money to show it's in no short supply? Check.
• Fruity cocktail that most people would wince at? Check.
• Dollar signs floating around to show that you’re literally made of money? Check.

The only thing we are missing is the smell of rich mahogany which some people wearing this tee swear they get faint hints of. So, without further ado, I give you Crazy Rich Raisins!

0% Total Fat
0% Saturated Fat
0% Cholesterol
100% Baller Status

If you like these in depth looks at our designs be sure to keep an eye out for more in the near future! Also, don’t forget to pick up your own tee below or at the Crazy Rich Raisins Collection page and drop us a comment to let us know what you think about Crazy Rich Raisins!

Ps. A lot of the above history regarding Younghusband and Turpan is true aside from the chunche real estate empire of course!