Starbucks UK puts Mehndi-inspired design on iconic cups
Starbucks UK has given its iconic takeaway cup a distinctly South Asian touch, with a Mehndi-inspired design created by London artist Manii Basran.
Basran has been named the overall winner of Starbucks UK’s 2026 Illustration Club competition, which invited artists, illustrators and creatives across the UK to transform the Starbucks cup into a canvas.
Her intricate henna design was inspired by the traditions of Mehndi and celebrates creativity, heritage and culture. Starbucks says hundreds of entries were submitted to the competition, with Basran’s artwork selected as the winning design.
Basran, who grew up in West London, said Mehndi had been part of the celebrations and traditions around her while growing up.
The winning artwork was created directly on a Starbucks cup, with Basran explaining that the circular Starbucks logo inspired her to incorporate a mandala design.
The design was selected by a judging panel headed by British-Nigerian artist and designer Yinka Ilori MBE, who praised the use of a traditional henna technique on a modern everyday object.
Basran will receive one-to-one mentorship from Ilori, while her winning artwork will be showcased as part of Starbucks UK’s national Illustration Club campaign.
Starbucks has confirmed that the ten winning designs, including Basran’s, will feature in a national billboard campaign, with the artists credited for their work. The company has also clarified that the artists retain ownership and intellectual property rights to their designs.
The Mehndi-inspired artwork is currently being promoted by Starbucks UK as part of its Illustration Club campaign, giving the traditional South Asian art form a prominent presence in the brand’s latest UK creative campaign.
For Basran, the project represents a meeting of heritage and contemporary design, bringing an art form associated with generations of South Asian celebrations onto one of the UK’s most recognisable coffee cups.
