Setting the Stage for Mayhem and Harlequin

When Yung Studios was tasked with creating premium presentation kits for Lady Gaga’s Mayhem and Harlequin albums for Grammy considerations, they needed a team capable of translating ambitious creative direction into manufacturable reality under an accelerated timeline. Through an established relationship built within the design studio community, Stephen Gould was brought in to support the structural development, production, assembly, and execution of both presentation kits.

Led by Grant Challinor from the Fremont office, the project united teams across San Francisco, Fremont, and Shenzhen to complete 1,000 highly detailed kits within a month. While each album featured a distinctly different presentation style, both required intensive collaboration between design and manufacturing teams to ensure the final experience matched the theatrical energy behind Lady Gaga’s creative vision.

The Challenge

The compressed timeline left little room for delay or revision. Both kits required turned-edge rigid box construction, specialty print components, hand assembly, and coordinated fulfillment, all while managing daily design refinements across multiple time zones.

The Mayhem kit centered around a dramatic pop-up presentation structure inspired by stage visuals from the album’s global tour. The premium black rigid box incorporated layered print elements and a complex interior reveal alongside a 130-plus-page perfect-bound photo book. The Harlequin kit took a different approach, featuring a handled presentation case with additional promotional items and custom inserts that required careful hand assembly and precise layout coordination. Each component needed to work together as a cohesive presentation while maintaining the elevated aesthetic expected from a global entertainment release.

Adding to the pressure, production and logistics extended through Labor Day weekend, with overnight shipments and continuous approvals required to maintain schedule integrity.

The Solution

Stephen Gould worked closely with Yung Studios throughout the development process, helping guide structural decisions and manufacturability without compromising the original creative intent. Mark Cardinal from the Fremont Design Center played a key role in refining layouts, presentation sequencing, and pop-up execution to ensure the concepts could successfully move into production.

Meanwhile, the Shenzhen team, led by Cathy Mao, coordinated expedited manufacturing, quality oversight, and late-night approvals to keep the project moving continuously between the U.S. and China. Daily collaboration between design, production, and assembly teams allowed both kits to evolve rapidly while staying on track for final delivery.

Beyond the rigid boxes themselves, Stephen Gould also produced and sourced nearly every component within the kits, including printed collateral, foil packaging elements, books, and promotional inserts. Final assembly was completed by hand to ensure every item was presented exactly as intended before shipment to Grammy judges in Los Angeles.

The Result

Despite the demanding timeline and production complexity, Stephen Gould successfully delivered all 1,000 presentation kits on schedule. The Mayhem album would later go on to win Grammy Album of the Year, bringing additional visibility to the project and the collaborative effort behind it.

Beyond the award itself, the successful execution strengthened Stephen Gould’s reputation within the creative and entertainment industries. The project reinforced the company’s ability to execute highly detailed, premium packaging experiences under extreme time pressure.