For Apple’s Chinese New Year campaign, Yulong Li collaborated with two talented artists, providing the art direction and producing 2D illustrations. His inspiration stemmed from the tangible and abstract concept of “reunion spirit.” He visualized this with a traditional Chinese New Year candy box and a lion dance performance. 

The candy box, known as the “QUAN HE,” symbolizes completeness and togetherness, representing the spirit of family reunions during the holiday season. Like a New Year's gift, Apple's App Store offers an array of heartfelt products to welcome users into the New Year. The lion dance performance, representing games and unity, invites everyone to revel in a vibrant life within the "holiday" container.

Client: Apple

A set of illustrations for the Apple app store about how to make a mooncake by yourself.

Client: Apple

For Apple’s Chinese New Year campaign, Yulong Li collaborated with two talented artists, providing the art direction and producing 2D illustrations. His inspiration stemmed from the tangible and abstract concept of “reunion spirit.” He visualized this with a traditional Chinese New Year candy box and a lion dance performance. 

The candy box, known as the “QUAN HE,” symbolizes completeness and togetherness, representing the spirit of family reunions during the holiday season. Like a New Year's gift, Apple's App Store offers an array of heartfelt products to welcome users into the New Year. The lion dance performance, representing games and unity, invites everyone to revel in a vibrant life within the "holiday" container.

Client: Apple

A series of illustrations was created for Airbnb's global project, focusing on Europe's city guide. The client emphasized the importance of vividly portraying citizens' diversity and daily lives rather than relying on stereotypical landmarks. The artwork needed to align with the core values of the brand.

The approach involved capturing street scenes from an outsider's perspective. Since there was no prior experience visiting those cities, most of the citizens depicted were based on sketches made on Shanghai streets and supplementary internet research. 

In an era of globalization, lifestyles across different places are becoming increasingly similar. Therefore, the illustrations aimed to depict relatable everyday activities, such as coffee chats, biking, or simply walking, to reflect a more authentic and intimate view of urban life.

Client: Airbnb Global

Key visual illustrations for the Airbnb community events.

Client: Airbnb China

For an Airbnb South Africa city guide, Yulong created a vibrant illustration inspired by the region’s colorful architecture, decorative culture, and rich biodiversity. Deeply fascinated by these elements, she chose to use tropical and fruity colors to express her imaginative interpretation of the cities ‘ lively, diverse, and full of energy. Her work captures both the natural and cultural vibrancy that makes South Africa so visually unique.

Client: Airbnb Global

B&B Italia commissioned Yulong to create some stickers for the upcoming event celebrating their Le bambole collection’s 50th anniversary.

Client: B&B Italia

Agency: Karla Otto

For the Chinese New Year campaign, B&B Italia collaborated with Yulong on a series of three illustrations featuring their signature furniture designs. The works explore the intersection of modern luxury and traditional festivity, reflecting both the brand’s elegance and the warmth of the holiday.

Client: B&B Italia

Agency: Karla Otto

Inspired by the legendary movie star MarilynMonroe film and the Art Deco style, Yulong created this diamond party illustration series for Blancpain Ladybird watches.

Client: BLANCPAIN

Agency: Fleishman-Hillard

A commissioned collection for Blancpain. With the moon in its full splendor, this is a grand ball of diamonds for a magical encounter.

The eggs pay tribute to Betty Fichte, the woman who launched the Ladybird watch collection, and to Marilyn Monroe, the star of the era. I used the silhouette because I wanted her to represent both the individual story of an ICON's sparkle and a group of women who are becoming role models for themselves.

Client: BLANCPAIN

Agency: Fleishman-Hillard

The overall composition of the artwork takes the form of a radial pattern, symbolizing an ideal world. This concept highlights BYD's exploration of technological innovation while emphasizing the brand's ability to provide customers with security and inclusivity.

Surrounding the central composition, there are plants, flowers, stars, and figures using technological devices. Each element represents BYD's core values of "green environmentalism," "technological innovation," and "youthful vitality." By merging technology with romance, the artwork also suggests that green transportation will lead people toward a more expansive and promising future.

Client: BYD China

Yulong created illustrated packaging for the pet room gift set at The Middle House Hotel in Shanghai, a prestigious five-star hotel known for its sophisticated design and exceptional service. The gift set was in collaboration with Bondi Wash, an Australian brand celebrated for its natural, plant-based cleaning and body care products.

Inspired by her walks with her dog, Yulong aimed to bring a light and lively touch to the illustrations by depicting some of the people and pets she encountered along the way.

Client: Client: The Middle House Hotel & Bondi Wash

This is a series of illustrations Yulong created featuring Cartier’s new jewelry collection and its retail store in the K11 shopping mall, Shanghai.

Drawing inspiration from Cartier’s iconic panther motif and the mesmerizing nightscape of Shanghai, Yulong chose to highlight the city’s quieter, more refined side — a contrast to its bustling daytime energy. The artworks blend the luxury of the brand with the elegance of Shanghai after dark.

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Client: Cartier

This collaboration with agency JKR for Costa Coffee's 2024 Christmas limited-edition takeaway cups draws inspiration from the enchanting world of Christmas snow globes. The design incorporates a unique festive scene on each cup, transforming it into a miniature story brimming with holiday warmth and cheer. 

The five-color printing limitation presented a compelling challenge, requiring innovative solutions to balance composition, contrast, and details. The limited color scheme encouraged exploration of creative color while adding to the vibrant, lively designs. Seeing these cups in stores added a delightful festive touch to every coffee experience.

Client: COSTA COFFEE

Agency: JKR London

A set of illustration cards with shoe characters for Converse.

Client: Converse China

This commissioned piece was created by Yulong for Coach, celebrating travel between Shanghai and New York. The illustration was featured as a mural for the opening of Coach’s new store in Florence Town, Shanghai.

In developing the artwork, Yulong sought to strike a balance between authenticity and imagination. While grounded in fundamental urban elements, the piece embraces whimsical reinterpretations and cultural symbolism. She explored themes of cultural fusion — such as dim sum and Chinatown in New York, and the Bund and Western-style bread in Shanghai — as visual metaphors for global mobility and hybrid identity.

To Yulong, globalization is both inevitable and enriching. Her work reflects a belief that true cultural confidence comes not from purity, but from openness, tolerance, and love.

Client: COACH Global

Enter Dolce&Gabbana holiday magic—a Christmas tree painted with iconic gift boxes and bags. Each stroke tells tales of festive wonder, embodying Italian artistry. It's a celebration between tradition and modernity, capturing the spirit of the holiday.

Client: Dolce&Gabbana

Yulong created and animated a series of Valentine’s Day–themed digital illustrations for Dolce & Gabbana. Drawing inspiration from her favorite cartoon character, Snoopy, he infused the artworks with a playful and nostalgic spirit. Elements like chocolate, desserts, gifts, and cinema — all classic symbols of love — have become visual motifs that evoke both personal memories and universal warmth.

Client: DOLCE&GABBANA

A set of illustrations of the menu about desserts for a restaurant in Shanghai.

ECCO entrusts Yulong with creating a main visual advertisement for their new Year of the Dragon shoes. They hope Yulong can incorporate Chinese traditional culture to tell a thrilling, captivating story, while highlighting the shoe design inspired by dragon scales.

In Yulong's memory, Chinese New Year is often bathed in a warm yellow filter. Therefore, for this creative work, Yulong chose yellow and red as the main color tones. Additionally, based on traditional Chinese dragons, Yulong incorporated more vivid lines, transforming the dragon from a distant zodiac symbol into a relatable and approachable emblem that people can imagine and feel a connection to.

As the dragon soars above the city, overlooking the myriad lights of the Spring Festival, the Year of the Dragon approaches.

Client: ECCO

Yulong created this series of illustrations for FRAME in celebration of the 520 Festival.

Inspired by Sally Rooney’s novel Normal People, she explored themes of intimacy and personal growth through symbolic imagery — including swings, blooming flowers, and coordinated clothing. The works subtly reflect emotional connection and the evolving nature of relationships in a poetic, visually tender way.

Client: FRAME

Drawing from Greek mythology, she was inspired by the symbolism of apples and hearts. The glowing golden apples — offered initially at the wedding of Zeus and Hera — became a central motif in the artwork.

According to myth, the sky turned green, yellow, and red during the celebration, mirroring the colors of an apple tree in full bloom. In ancient Greek tradition, apples were also seen as powerful symbols of love, a theme Yulong wove into her visual storytelling with a rich, romantic palette.

Client: Gucci

A series of character stickers inspired by a Chinese princess and her drama life.

Client: Google

Harrods commissioned me to create a series of illustrations interpreting the meaning of magic love in the 520 festival, a holiday created by the harmonics of a particular date pronounced as I love you.

Client: Harrods

Some illustrations for BAO BAO Issey Miyake 2022 Chinese New Year limited bags.

Client: BAO BAO Issey Miyake

Spring Key Visual illustration for INJOY shopping mall in Shenzhen, China.

Client: INJOY shopping mall

The spring advertising campaign for Incheon International Airport illustrated a wonderland with blossoming flowers over the clouds.

Client: Incheon International Airport

AD: LEE, YEONJOO

Agency: Richard Solomon

A Christmas frame animation for ICICLE's men collection, inspired by the video game Tetris and gift boxes.

Client： ICICLE

Animation, Background Music and Visual Design by Yulong Lli studio

Kate Spade and Yespai Gallery commissioned me to create a series of illustrations for celebrating Chinese traditional Valentine’s Day.

My creative inspiration comes from the Chinese idiom "Love the House and the Crow," which means "He who loves a woman loves the crow on her house." In my opinion, "house" and "wu" not only evoke contemporary thoughts about "love" in tandem but also provide a visual space and time to tell the story of Valentine's Day. When I named the work Love Me Love My Bag, I quoted the English translation: "Love me love my dog." Whether it is a bag or a dog, love all loveliness; all deserve to be loved.

Client: Kate Spade

Agency: Yespai Gallery

A series of illustrations for Kappa China to accompany the Valentine's Day events on this particular holiday. Whenever we are talking about it, love is always about all expressions of being together.

Client: Kappa China

Illustration Key Visual created for a campaign proposal centered around the theme of Pro Players for Kiehl’s Super Brand Day. 

The illustration explores the fusion of science and nature — a core part of the brand’s identity — and translates it into a dynamic, character-driven composition. Elements such as skateboards, motorcycles, botanical ingredients, and laboratory tools are interwoven to build a narrative space that reflects both expertise and vitality.

The project was not released due to changes in brand direction, but remains a meaningful visual exploration of the brief.

Client: Kiehl’s

Yulong Li was invited as a guest illustrator for Kena Furniture’s “Natural Co-Creation Plan”, where she created a visual piece inspired by the four seasons and the idea of traveling to places of origin.

Drawing inspiration from British poet John Keats’ poem The Human Seasons, which compares the cycle of spring, summer, autumn, and winter to the journey of a human life, Yulong explored how seasonal transitions mirror internal emotional landscapes. Her illustration presents a visual essay of walking through natural scenes—each season represented through distinct color palettes that reflect Kena’s aesthetics of natural living.

A special highlight of the project was Yulong’s collaboration on ceramic objects, adding a personal and tactile dimension to the piece. For her, incorporating pottery—a symbol of her own relaxed, grounded state—made the work even more meaningful and aligned with the theme of slow, organic living.

Client: KENA

Yulong, the first Chinese illustrator to collaborate with Lululemon, designed the main visual for their New Year campaign. Starting from his cultural memory, he sought symbolic elements that quietly convey blessings, preferring subtle, inclusive expressions over direct greetings.

Inspired by traditional weaving techniques, he created a design that allows all elements to be freely combined and reinterpreted. Incorporating Lululemon’s cultural context, he contrasts connected groups with Chinese knots, reflecting yoga poses and well-being through soft body language and dynamic movements.

Just as crafting unique Chinese knots requires understanding basic techniques, his visual storytelling aims to celebrate Chinese traditions with energy and creative reinterpretation, fostering ongoing cultural dialogue.

Client: Lululemon

A seasonal package cooperation with fragrance brand Uttori featured my personal work Love is Everything.

Client: Uttori

Key visual illustration for Taikooli shopping mall in Chengdu.

Client: Taikooli Chengdu

A set of illustrations for Massimo Dutti on the Chinese Valentine's Day campaign. Yulong was inspired by Joan Miró, the most famous Spanish artist, and the beautiful ready-to-wear clothes and decorations from MD, which told our familiar traditional Chinese fairytale in an abstract and expressionistic way.

Client: Massimo Dutti

From "red lines" to "love letters," inspiration for writing flashes through the hands of Eros. Yulong created a romantic story for MONTBLANC, and the illustration is about the "fragments" of Chinese Valentine's Day, linked by a hand-painted "red line."

The "red line" symbolizes unity and togetherness in the context of traditional Chinese culture.

The objects hidden within include hearts, stars, tears, love letters, willow branches, and roses, which can be interpreted as symbols of intimate relationships between China and the West, all strung together by the line to form a picture of what is being drawn in the lover's pen.

Client: MONTBLANC

Selected Illustration Projects for Nespresso.

This piece was commissioned by Nespresso, inspired by the journey of exploring different coffee flavors during travels. The artwork features a series of elements that can be freely assembled and attached to the wall with magnets, inviting viewers to participate in creating their own "global coffee story."

Interactivity is at the heart of the piece—each person can rearrange the components to craft their unique visual narrative, reflecting a love for life and a spirit of adventure. More than just a work of art, it becomes a shared experience of coffee, travel, and personal exploration.

The aim is to inspire creativity and emotional connection, allowing everyone to leave their own mark and memories of their coffee travel journey within this space.

Client: Nespresso

Yulong worked on the Nike app comeback campaign, creating a series of four-story stickers related to the new app and designing background patterns inspired by tennis, the 50th anniversary, sneaker matching, and pop culture under the theme of Getting the whole story.

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Client： Nike

Agency： RGA shanghai

Chinese Valentine's Day campaign for NET-A-PORTER. This series of illustrations is inspired by the artwork Perfect Lover by Felix Gonzalez, a contemporary artist I love immensely.

"We are synchronized, now and forever," the image connects four stories through the symbolism of "circle,” telling a story of lovers who meet in the chase.

Client: NET-A-PORTER

A commission from Otter Box to create a limited edition phone case to celebrate the arrival of the Dragon New Year. The collection has already arrived at Apple Stores in regions worldwide, where it will be celebrated during the Spring Festival.

Client: Otterbox

The patron commissioned me to create a limited-edition illustration package for the Year of the Ox. The woodblock New Year painting inspires me. As door gods, they have different responsibilities.

For example, a military god with a hairy oxen’s head, always holding a sword in his hand to avoid illness, and bad things coming from outside, or a gentle civil god with a legendary treasure representing money like RUYI or YUAN BAO, attracting luck and wealth to come in.

Considering this picture will be used in Spring, I add some patterns of flowers, agaves, and bees in the corner as decorations to convey a vibrant and hopeful year is upcoming.

Client: Patron

This project was inspired by the floral motifs of William Morris and Charles Francis, icons of the English Arts and Crafts movement, who often qused unassuming wildflowers and grasses to depict natural curves in their work.

Flowers and plants is also one of my personal preferred themes, in addition to a lot of modeling space to explore, but also full of romantic symbols and literary temperament, which coincides with the subtle flowers and plants in the Oriental culture of the "YUXING".

Client: Parker

Did a series of works on the 75th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and Poland in cooperation with the Polish Institute – Cultural Service of the Polish Embassy in Beijing.

I found some interesting shapes from Polish folk crafts such as paper-cutting and wooden dolls, and combined the structure of traditional Chinese flowers and embroidery patterns to paint this work.

Although this series is about paying tribute to the great men and women in Polish history who changed the world, I still prefer to find inspiration from the perspective of ordinary people. After the residency in Kraków, I really like folk crafts even more, it's so nice that ordinary people's love for life is directly reflected in very everyday life scenes, full of vitality and energy, without any explanations or grand narratives.

Client: Polish Embassy in Beijing

A set of illustrations for Remy Martin TERCET about how it test like and when to share with friends at a picnic.

Client: Remy Martin

Yulong is deeply fascinated by the traditional folk art in Switzerland. That kind of artwork illustrates the senses of Alpine rural life, floral design, and village festivals, creating a balance and dreamy wonderland in harmony and symmetry, filled with folk motifs.

Surprisingly, we have some very similar folk artworks in China, presenting a natural and cheerful lifestyle. I believe that residents in two countries may understand the other side’s culture through familiar signals from their owners, such as a mix-and-match of traditional elements based on symmetrical composition. But I still want to be more graphic and modern in style.

Client: Swatch

A set of illustrations celebrating SUNING's 30th anniversary: The SUNING brand is a community that comprises various functional areas, much like a massive tree providing shade and spaces for creatures to thrive, and connecting everything in one dynamic whole.

Client: SUNING Shopping Mall

A set of illustrations about the celebration of SUNING's 30th anniversary: The SUNING brand is a community that comprises different types of functional areas, much like a massive tree providing shadows and spaces for creatures to live better, and connecting everything in one dynamic whole.

Client: SUNING Shopping Mall

I received a commission from Southern Poverty Law Center to create illustrations for holiday cards to be sent to patrons.

Client: Southern Poverty Law Center

A series for Snapchat inspired by traditional Chinese New Year decorations and flower arrangements to celebrate the festive season. It included short animated static setup, illustrated stickers and filters.

Client: Snapchat

A set of city edition cards for Starbucks presenting different city landmarks in china.

Client: Starbucks

The illustration for LG Group's THE WHOO Dragon Gift Box draws inspiration from traditional Chinese textile patterns and red lacquer boxes. In crafting the image, the head and tail of the dragon are omitted, leaving only a portion of the body to embody an understanding of oriental aesthetics. 

This approach reflects the concept described by Chinese poet and calligrapher Zhao Dexin, who characterized the symbolic expression of “not seeing the dragon's head and not seeing the dragon's tail” as a poetic mood in discussing art. Having studied Chinese painting from a young age, the creator draws upon this background to explain the artistic pursuit. The combination of virtual and real white space allows for greater imagination, akin to the dragon in the Year of the Dragon, which embodies beauty and wishes.

Client : THE WHOO

The main visual illustration I created for UNIQLO's "Summer in the North" is now available in the main shops.

Since I grew up in the northwest, I had memories and familiar flavors in my mind when I drew this theme, such as "watermelon plucked from the water," "skewering at a beer stall at night," "apricot skin water to relieve the heat," and so on. "Of course, with economic development and the flattening of information, many popular ways of escaping the heat have made the gap between the stereotypical North and South lifestyles smaller and smaller.

Northern folk crafts such as peasant painting, patchwork, lotus bags, noodle figures, and the patterns of Majiayao pottery have given me a lot of creative inspiration. This information is dispersed into the stylistic approach and details of the images. I want to use this visual language to respond to the exploration of the heritage and innovation of local culture and to leave some traces for the audience who understand and tolerate different voices to continue.

Client: UNIQLO

UNIQLO China commissioned me to create a series of key visual illustrations for the new store at Taiyuan Zhonglou Street. Based on the theme of "Joyland," I made this artwork by blending tradition and pop culture, using Chinese painting and contemporary art as the inspiration.

Three sets of exclusive motifs, including recreational food customs, dialects, and sustainable lifestyles, will be used, as UTme is open for customizing T-shirts. The cute design team also made a super fun regional limited-tasting cup gift using my pattern!

Client: UNIQLO China

Illustration Series for Van Cleef & Arpels about the four seasons in Paris.

Client: Van Cleef & Arpels

Yulong Lli created the key visual and packaging illustrations for the organic food brand YAN ZHONG TIAN. His inspiration comes from traditional bamboo crafts commonly seen in Chinese markets, and the main visual reflects the brand’s deep connection to craftsmanship and sustainability.

The layout also echoes the geometric patterns of farmlands, subtly referencing the agricultural roots of organic farming. Hand-drawn textures were used throughout the packaging to emphasize the brand’s commitment to natural and organic principles, resulting in a tactile and earthy aesthetic that appeals to eco-conscious consumers.

Through this project, Yulong celebrates the harmony between tradition and innovation in the modern organic food industry, blending cultural heritage with contemporary design.

Client: YAN ZHONG TIAN