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CPC Packaging’s 2005 Packager of the Year: Coty Inc.

On July 11, Coty Inc. completed its purchase of Unilever’s global prestige business, adding Calvin Klein, Vera Wang, Cerruti, and other brands to its portfolio. “The purchase of these prestige fragrances strengthens Coty’s leadership position in the global marketplace,” says Bernd Beetz, CEO of Coty Inc. “It is an excellent strategic move for Coty and one that is fully in line with our strategy. Coty is now the world’s largest fragrance company, and we are in a strong position to achieve our long-term goal of being among the top five beauty companies in the world.” Analysts anticipate Coty Inc.’s sales will reach $3 billion within the next two years.

Lancaster Group and Coty Beauty both launched many new products this year, demonstrating that many of their brands are growing strong. In addition, the companies established some new brands this year. Each new launch conveyed its own brand image and message through its packaging. Each one spoke to different types of consumers in various retail outlets.

This year, Lancaster Group launched Baby Phat Goddess, Live by Jennifer Lopez, Miami Glow by JLo, Kenneth Cole Signature, and Lovely by Sarah Jessica Parker. Coty Beauty’s new fragrances are Celine Dion Belong, mary-kateandashley coast to coast, Shania by Stetson, and Stetson Black. In other categories, Coty Beauty also launched various cosmetics by Rimmel, and the healing garden Organics collection, which is the first mass-market certified-organic product line, in accordance with the California Organic Products Act of 2003.

We hope you will enjoy reading about these launches in this article and join us in celebrating Coty’s success and packaging achievements.

The Packaging Process

In order to compete with larger companies in the cosmetics world, Coty gains a competitive edge by launching new products extremely quickly. Its lightning speed to launch has set a new pace for the entire industry.

“We are able to get launches out the door quickly, with a competitive cost and excellent quality. We won’t sacrifice quality,” says Lyle Leonard, senior vice president, global technical package development for Coty Inc. Leonard is responsible for ensuring that the company’s procedures and methodology are consistent globally. He has worked in the industry for more than 30 years and has spent the last six and a half years at Coty.

Coty’s unique approach to the packaging and design process is one of the main reasons it is able to launch new products so quickly. Its team has the resources of a large company, but the firm has adopted the decision-making methodology of a small company. Even the decor of its Park Avenue offices in New York City (where its packaging and creative teams are located) conveys an unconventional attitude. The modern, white, industrial-style offices have high ceilings with exposed pipes. The white walls and doors are made of translucent and frosted square plastic panels, allowing you to see right through to the bare wooden frames. Silver screws attach the panels to the frames, also serving as a design element.

The marketing, creative, and packaging teams hold meetings frequently. Everyone is easily accessible, not sitting behind closed doors. Key people are empowered to make decisions on a timely basis. “We have streamlined the entire packaging and development processes,” says Leonard. “Usually, there are many layers in a large company that tend to slow decision making. Bernd Beetz, our CEO, has enabled us to do this, and it works.”

At the beginning of every project, it takes good communication to clearly define what is needed. First, the criteria for a package in terms of aesthetics and cost are determined. Coty’s technical packaging team and engineers will create a three-dimensional file and rendering to help create the preliminary specifications. Colors are also decided. “The key is to be assertive in the developmental stages and to discuss options plainly in black and white,” says Bill Bonasera, director, technical package development for Coty Inc. Bonasera has been with Coty for eight years and in the industry for more than 30 years. He explains that one of the main challenges for the packaging team is to be able to execute what the marketing and creative teams want, while also keeping costs down.

Before the start of a project, there is also an opportunity for everyone to air any concerns they might have. “Everyone must agree and be fully committed to a project from the start. We wait for the ‘group nod’ around the table, and then we go. It’s important to have that basis of consensus,” says Leonard.

Peggy Hoy, senior director, technical packaging, Lancaster Group, has been in the industry for 25 years. She has spent the last two years at Coty. She tells us that the part of the packaging process she enjoys the most is how closely everyone works together, including the designers, the marketing team, and the engineers. “Time is always a challenge, but we get it done because we have such a great team,” Hoy says.

Of course, there are instances when a little more time is necessary. Leonard explains, “If one of our suppliers tells us something can’t be done within our time constraints, we know that we must adjust our parameters in order to maintain the design with the quality we expect.”

Laurie Larkin, vice president of technical package development for Coty Inc., agrees. “Sometimes you have to explain to creative or marketing that something can’t be done within the designated time frame or cost parameters. It happens quite a bit. It’s always a collaborative effort. We will explain what can be achieved, and everyone must agree with the decision,” Larkin explains. She has been in the industry for 28 years, including five and a half years at Coty.

“It all boils down to people,” says Leonard. “We have a group of very talented people who know how to use the right tools to accomplish our objectives.”

Aligning with the Stars

Partnering with celebrities to build new brands and to launch new products has been an extremely successful strategy for Coty. It’s a strategy that other companies are now following.

In September 2002, Lancaster Group launched Glow by JLo with Jennifer Lopez. It sold more than $80 million in its first year. This year marked the rebirth of the celebrity fragrance genre. Coty continued to expand the House of JLo by launching two new fragrances: Miami Glow by JLo in February, and Live by Jennifer Lopez in October. The Miami Glow fragrance is in the same-shaped bottle as Glow, but it is sprayed a golden bronze shade. There is also a charm bracelet around the bottle’s neck. Its metallic gold and orange carton is decorated with a palm tree scene.

“Fragrance is a very emotionally driven category, and we look to partner with celebrities who consumers feel they have an emotional connection with,” explains Marsha Brooks, vice president of marketing and business development for Coty Beauty. “Consumers are savvy and can tell when a brand is just using a celebrity’s name in exchange for a paycheck. For a brand associated with a celebrity to work, consumers have to feel that the celebrity is truly involved in the whole experience. The packaging must, in some way, be a reflection of the celebrity’s personal values and style. If the packaging doesn’t reflect this, consumers will recognize a disconnect between the celebrity and the products.”

When working with Coty, celebrities are very much involved in the entire design process. Sometimes they even choose bottle shapes. In preparation for the October launch of the fragrance Shania Twain, Twain sent a Polaroid photo of a vase in her home to Coty Beauty’s creative team. “Shania influenced every aspect of the packaging,” says Brooks. “She really saw her personality reflected in a curved, feminine bottle.”

Lisa Carroll, Coty Inc.’s group creative director of creative services, and Patty Tsang, Coty Inc.’s creative director of creative services, worked on the package design concept for Shania Twain. “It’s essential to have as much input as possible from the celebrity you’re working with in order to do a good job. Shania had definite opinions and was able to communicate them. She was great to work with and made it easy for us to incorporate her personal tastes into this bottle,” says Carroll.

The vase’s shape had to be manipulated so that it would work as a bottle and cap. “We went back and forth with engineering a little bit. Every design always needs some tweaking,” explains Tsang.

The bottle is supplied by Vitro Packaging (Huntington Station, NY). “The original design was revised by not flaring the cap as much to aid in the cap’s removal from the production tool,” explains Maggie Wedemeyer, manager, technical package development for Coty Inc. The cap is made from translucent white polypropylene and is supplied by Augros (Ronkonkoma, NY). The crimped pump is supplied by Emsar (Stratford, CT).

The vibrant pink carton is printed with two hits of pearlized pink and flexo gold, hot stamped, and embossed. It is supplied by Diamond Packaging (Rochester, NY). It is decorated with gold stars meant to resemble studs, connecting the package to the western image of Twain. “Even in its simplicity, this package really pops on the shelf,” adds Carroll.

Technologically Advanced Approach to Design

Coty’s model-making capabilities have been a huge advantage in helping to launch new products quickly. Last year, Coty’s packaging team made approximately 1300 white plastic models. The molds are used to communicate with the technical package development, marketing, and creative teams in the United States and Europe. They are also sent to suppliers to be evaluated for production feasibility and costs. The creative and marketing teams wait until a design is finalized before having an expensive Lucite model made.

Leonard brought the idea of using model-making technology to Coty more than five and a half years ago. “It took a little time to convince everyone of the value of using the white models,” says Leonard. Once it was discovered that people could make design decisions quickly and with a high degree of “no surprises” when using one of these models, Coty’s design process was changed forever. “The white models have helped us to better communicate with marketing and have made decisions happen so much faster,” says Larkin.

Coty’s rapid-prototyping machine works in a way similar to a printer by using special software to read information about the model’s shape contained in a digital file. The machine then melts down strips of plastic. The model is built using the melted plastic, applying one layer at a time to form the correct shape. It takes a couple of hours to make one model, and several completely different shapes could be made at the same time.

“Anyone can buy a machine—but you need to have the people with the talent and skill to use it properly,” says Leonard. Three Coty Inc. people with such skill are Glenn Karnish, director of technology and development; John Kelly, manager of package development; and Philip Tarrant, senior engineer, package development. They each use the model-making machine in the package development process.

First, a sketch from the creative team or designer will be transformed into a three-dimensional digital image. “I use a combination of three different types of software,” says Karnish. Initial designs are evaluated from an engineering standpoint. “I basically guide designers in the direction of making sure their concept is able to be manufactured,” Karnish adds.

Looking at a three-dimensional rendering can’t replicate the experience of holding a bottle in your hand. Models also allow everyone to see an entire family of products. “Sometimes we’ll realize that a design is in proportion for one size bottle but doesn’t quite work in a smaller size,” explains Karnish. “Or sometimes, while evaluating a model, we’ll realize that a design needs to be adjusted so that it contains the right amount of product,” he adds. Pumps and caps can even be screwed onto the models to see exactly how the bottle will function.

Karnish worked with designer Guy Williams of Bottle Design Inc. when creating the bottle for Live by Jennifer Lopez. Its look was inspired by a bottle found in an antique shop in Paris. The colorful glass bottle, supplied by Pochet (Paris, France; Wayne, NJ), appears to change shades as it is turned. To facilitate the bottle’s development, Karnish used approximately 20 to 30 models to communicate with the designer and the marketing team in Paris. “Guy would come in and look at the model, then make some slight changes to the bottle’s shape,” explains Karnish.

The bottle is decorated with a ribbed design, which creates a segmented look. Specific panels are sprayed with iridescent purple, yellow, and green. One of the most challenging aspects of this bottle was creating its ribbed design. “In Guy’s initial sketch, the ribbed line design on the bottle meant it would have to be a four-piece mold. We wanted to make it a two-piece mold by not criss-crossing any of the ribs along the parting line,” says Karnish. Williams reworked the design so it still flowed with the same sense of movement.

A model was useful in one final step, which was sending it to Pochet, its supplier, for evaluation. “Pochet suggested that some areas near the parting line needed to be filled in so that it would come out of the mold properly,” says Karnish.

The bottle’s sphere-shaped cap is light green and made from DuPont’s Surlyn. It was supplied by Germaplast (Izernore, France). Its collar is metallic purple.

Prestige, Mass, and “Masstige”

One of the important challenges for Coty’s creative team is to clearly and specifically define each brand using visual references. Jane Tarallo, senior global group creative director for Coty Inc., says, “You have to be discriminating when choosing design elements. Brand images must be kept consistent.”

Tarallo has been at Coty for more than 14 years. She explains how visual elements could easily overlap two or more different brands sometimes. Her job is to make sure that doesn’t happen. “The challenge is in making sure each brand has its own presence. Jennifer Lopez and Baby Phat could have been an issue, and there could also easily have been similarities between the Nautica brand and Davidoff,” she says. “It’s the details that help you decide what each brand is about and to clearly define the image through packaging.”

Packaging must always be designed and developed according to where a brand is sold. The fragrances mary-kateandashley coast to coast LA and NYC both launched in March. A set containing both scents launched in May. Its packaging uses literal images to convey the brand’s message to the consumer. Photographs of the celebrity twins are printed on the cartons. “When we updated the packaging for mary-kateandashley’s first fragrances, 1 and 2, we put their photos on the cartons,” explains Carroll. Almost immediately, sales increased. The marketing team decided to keep the photos on the packages for this launch.

“We know the images of Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen help consumers identify with the brand,” explains Roslyn Griner, vice president, bath and body for Coty Beauty. “The one thing you don’t have the luxury of in mass-market outlets is a lot of point-of-sale material to communicate information about the celebrity to the consumer. Mass can be such a chaotic environment, so our package is our point-of-sale material.”

There are different budgets for packages, depending on whether it will be sold in prestige, mass-market, or mid-level “masstige” stores such as Kohl’s, JC Penney, and Sears. “When a product is sold in the mass market, the package will be less expensive but it will still be quality,” says Leonard. Larkin agrees, adding, “We’re always under pressure from mass retail outlets to enhance the quality of mass packages.” Wal-Mart is everyone’s biggest customer, and they’re tough. “They are always looking for a better deal and less-expensive product,” says Leonard.

Larkin explains that there are certain things you can do to make a package look more upscale without adding cost. “Collars and caps could get more expensive than bottles, so we try to use streamlined designs for lower price points by using a one-piece cap instead of a two piece,” she says.

A cap for a more prestigious fragrance might be more elaborate. The fragrance Celine Dion Belong, which launched in January, is categorized as “masstige.” Its anodized-aluminum floating cap is complicated and required custom tooling by Eyelematic (Watertown, CT). Peter Philip, president, Eyelematic, explains, “This cap was originally designed as a one piece, but during forming operations, a striped effect would have been left on the disk. Coty avoided these problems by going the extra mile to make it two pieces. It is more expensive, but now it looks perfect.” A metal shell overcap was fitted on top of the collar, which is silk-screened.

The pentagon-shaped bottle represents Dion’s lucky number five, a theme that is featured throughout Celine Dion Parfums’ packaging. It was designed by Ken Hirst and is supplied by Pochet. Its straight edges were a challenge to mold. “We went to Pochet because we knew they would be able to keep the corners sharp,” says Bonasera.

The bottle’s pump is supplied by Emsar. The carton is lavender and is supplied by Arko Paper Products (Piscataway, NJ). It is made from 18-pt. solid-bleached-sulfate paperboard. Printing was done on the uncoated side of the board in order to achieve a matte texture and feel, according to Bonasera. A five-color process was used, and the carton was also hot stamped, debossed, and embossed.

“Celine likes simplicity and elegance, and this is reflected in the fragrance’s packaging,” explains Brooks. After considering many different bottle styles, Brooks says, Dion always goes back to the same look: strong, clean lines; a sophisticated, heavyweight feel; and the right fit in your hand. “The bottle’s shape shows stability, which is a reflection of the place Celine is in right now in her life,” adds Brooks.

Delivering the Dream

Celebrities might help by adding that extra star quality that every brand covets, but the real stars are the people at Coty who have discovered how to turn this quality into a tangible package. Everyone puts a lot of effort into every project, and it shows. “We all enjoy what we do, and it’s very rewarding for us to see our brands on the shelf after all our hard work,” says Leonard. Larkin agrees: “It’s like watching something grow. When a beautiful package is a success, we’re all excited to see that happen.” In the end, it’s a big collaborative effort. “We all work together to deliver the dream,” Leonard adds.

Even with the challenges and pressures of launching products quickly, Coty’s team seems to be truly excited about continuing its efforts in the future. Tarallo has noticed how the industry has changed over the years. “I’ve enjoyed watching how we’ve kept up with market trends, turning into one of the leading companies. I look forward to seeing how the industry will continue to change, and how much more we will grow,” she says. With such a committed team, Coty is sure to keep up its success.

Timeline: Coty’s Climb to the Top

1904

François Spoturno, born in Corsica in 1874, moved to Paris and adopted the name Coty, a variation on his mother’s maiden name. He launched his first fragrance, La Rose Jacqueminot, in a bottle designed by Baccarat.

1908

Coty opened an exclusive boutique in Paris. He changed the fragrance industry forever when he commissioned René Lalique to design fragrance bottles. Lalique devised a way to mass-produce his designs using patented techniques inspired by the wine industry, thus making it possible to reduce costs and increase supply.

1917

Coty created his great fragrance masterpiece, Chypre. The name later became the term used to describe an entire olfactory family of scents containing accords such as oak, moss, amber, and musk, as classified by the French Perfume Committee.

1918

American soldiers returning home after World War I often brought perfumes back from France. This significantly raised the profile of Coty in the United States.

1922

Coty Inc. established itself in New York City. Its headquarters at 714 Fifth Avenue featured a series of pressed-glass panels created by Lalique. The landmark building now houses the Henri Bendel department store. In the same year, Coty also opened a subsidiary in London.

1939

Coty Inc., the company responsible for the American market, spun off its extensive interests in foreign Coty operations into a separate company, Coty International Corp. Shares of the new Coty Inc., composed solely of the company’s American assets, were traded on the New York Stock Exchange for the first time.

1960s

Coty’s best-selling product lines included fragrances, lipsticks, and powders. Coty became the third-largest fragrance company in the United States, with scents such as L’Aimant, Emeraude, L’Origan, and Paris.

1963

Pfizer Inc. acquired both Coty Inc. and Coty International Corp.

1992

Joh. A. Benckiser GmbH, a German specialty chemicals manufacturer, acquired Coty Inc. Benckiser had previously acquired the Lancaster Group brands (Lancaster, Davidoff, Jil Sander, Astor, adidas) from Beecham in Europe and the Joop! fragrance license.

1994

Coty Inc. acquired Quintessence Inc., a leading Chicago-based manufacturer of midpriced fragrances and personal care, with brands including Jovan and Aspen.

1996

Benckiser combined Lancaster Group and Coty Beauty brands under the Coty Inc. holding company. In the same year, Coty Inc. acquired Unilever’s European makeup brands, including Rimmel.

2001

Coty Inc. appoints Bernd Beetz as CEO. Peter Harf continues at Coty in his role as the company’s chairman.

2003

Glow by JLo became one of the most successful fragrance launches of all time, with sales of more than $80 million in its first year.

2004

Coty Inc. celebrates its 100th anniversary. Licensing agreements are made with jewelry designer Jette Joop and designer fashion brand Baby Phat, adding to its portfolio of celebrity, life-style and designer brands.

Coty Inc.'s 2005 Launches

Baby Phat’s Bling

Baby Phat was Coty’s first brand to be defined as an “urban, hip-hop life-style brand.” The Baby Phat clothing line was created by Kimora Lee Simmons, who has a long list of occupations, including fashion designer, model, daytime talk show host, mother, and wife of music mogul Russell Simmons.

The fragrance Baby Phat Goddess by Kimora Lee Simmons was launched by Lancaster Group in September. According to Jane Tarallo, senior global group creative director for Coty Inc., some of the packaging details that define the brand’s image are silver accents, the color pink, and plenty of bling. “Kimora herself was the inspiration for this design. It’s her vision. She influenced the design a lot because she is a designer herself and is so in tune with her market,” explains Tarallo.

The bottle for Goddess is modeled after Simmons’s own 30-carat Assher-cut diamond ring. Looking down on the pink faceted glass from a bird’s eye view, the bottle glistens with an extraordinary resemblance to a real diamond.

The bottle is supplied by Saint-Gobain Desjonquères (New York City). “This bottle was extremely difficult to mold with the right amount of definition in each facet,” says Jerome Fraillon, package development manager for Coty Inc.

The bottle has a pink metallic anodized cap and collar and a removable, rhinestone-studded ring around its neck. Making sure the ring would be easy to assemble, stay on during shipping, and also be easily removable by the consumer was a challenge. “We started with a stretch band, but then we liked the way Zamac looked better,” says Tarallo.

There were so many issues with being able to get the fit of the ring exactly right. “It had to fit over the collar, but not fall off during transportation,” says Fraillon. Laurie Larkin, vice president of technical packaging for Coty Inc., adds, “At first, the ring was on tighter than we wanted, but we were concerned about it coming off in transit. It was on so tightly that the consumer would have needed a paper clip to dislodge it. We kept experimenting until we got the fit right. Now the ring slides off easily when pulled, but stays on during shipping. It took a lot of extra time to achieve perfect results from our tests, but the end result is worth it.” Jackel International (Hong Kong; Hillsborough, NJ) supplies the ring, the cap, and the collar.

The fragrance’s pink tiger-striped carton, supplied by Arko Paper Products, was designed with an exciting contrast of shiny and matte elements. The carton is decorated with six-pass offset printing, silk-screening, hot stamping, and debossing. Four hits of color were used to achieve the desired effect. The carton’s winged sides are also decorated.

Matching pink tubes supplied by TPI were designed for Goddess by Baby Phat body lotion and shower gel. They are also decorated with the same animal pattern. “We were extremely tight on time for this launch and are proud to have been able to accomplish all of our goals,” says Fraillon.

Matching Package to Formula

Created in 1834, Rimmel London is one of the top-selling cosmetics brands in the UK. The Rimmel brand was introduced by Coty Beauty to the U.S. market in March 2000. Since then, Coty’s research and development facility in Morris Plains, NJ, has been instrumental in using advanced technology to develop innovative formulations for Rimmel’s new products.

It is vital that the right types of packages are developed to accommodate new types of formulations. Applicators are especially important and can affect how well a mascara or lip product works. Rimmel launched Volume Boost Liquid Lip in September. It is a high-shine gloss containing lip-plumping ingredients. The product is packaged in a tube with a brush applicator designed to work with precision.

“This type of applicator is very rare at the mass-market level. It applies the product more consistently on the surface of the lips. The combination of this formula, paired with this type of applicator, creates a collagen effect that adds 40% more fullness to the lips,” says Rick Goldberg, vice president, color cosmetics for Coty Inc. He says this product was inspired by high-end lines.

Another lip product, Twist and Shine Sheers, is packaged in a pen with a click dispenser. “This is also a convenient and very controllable way to apply lip color,” says Goldberg.

Rimmel’s 60-Second Vinyl Shine Nail Polish launched in July. “When we created this formula, we also gave our standard nail polish bottle a new look, which better conveys this product’s attributes,” says Goldberg. The graphics were modernized, and a symbol of a clock face was printed on the cap. Graphic design changes also serve to make the package more functional in stores, from a merchandising standpoint, according to Goldberg. The color name and shade number are now printed larger, which makes managing store inventory easier.

Organic Products for the Mass Market

The healing garden brand was the first to bring aromatherapy products to the mass market. Now, the brand has been repositioned and has evolved into the first certified-organic product line sold in mass-market outlets. Its formulas contain at least 70% organic ingredients, allowing the packaging to state the claim “Certified Organic.” This means its formulas are in compliance with the guidelines of the California Organic Products Act of 2003.

The healing garden’s first new collection, Organics Wild Honey, launched in July. It contains a body lotion, body mist, bar soap, and body wash. Its packaging conveys the brand’s new image. “We wanted a vintage look because it reminds people of the types of natural remedies from their past that are actually good for them. At the same time, the line had to look upscale. We wanted this line to create more of a boutique feeling in our food, drug, and mass retailers,” says Roslyn Griner, vice president, bath and body for Coty Beauty.

Amber-colored PET bottles were supplied in a stock 6-oz size by Silgan Plastics (Chesterfield, MO) and in a custom 8-oz size by Graham Packaging (York, PA). “Part of the reason for the amber color was due to the fact that organic ingredients can be unstable,” says Michael Gabry Jr., technical package engineer, technical package development for Coty Inc. “One problem with organic raw materials is that their natural color has a tendency to shift when exposed to light. The amber color acts as a natural UV inhibitor and prevents this from happening. It also ensures a uniform shelf presence.”

Because the line is sold at a low price point, custom caps weren’t an option. “It would have been more costly to create a custom cap, rather than a bottle. The tooling is more expensive,” says James Bautista, senior manager, technical package development for Coty Inc.

A funky-looking stock cap was found at Crown Zeller (Libertyville, IL). It was chosen for its look, but has environmental benefits as well. The black, flip-top cap has a cut-away front and looks as if there is a piece missing. The original intention of its design was to lower its gram weight. “It was originally used on industrial cleaners and was designed to comply with Europe’s strict recycling laws. To try to discourage the use of extra materials, taxes are charged according to the weight of a package,” explains Bautista. The cap is used on the 8-oz bottles containing the body wash and body lotion. The bottles had to be custom designed with a special neck finish in order to fit the cap.

It is the labels that add a special design element to this line. “We originally wanted paper, but that wouldn’t have been practical in the shower,” says Griner. The packaging team was able to replicate the look and even the feel of aged, weathered paper with a single-layer polypropylene label. “We used a satiny, matte finish to give the labels an organic look,” says Gabry. Interstate Packaging (White Bluff, TN) is the supplier that was instrumental in achieving this. “They helped us find the right finish to create the look we needed,” says Gabry.

The bar soap is sourced and supplied as a complete package by TwinCraft (Winooski, VT). TwinCraft had to match the look and feel of the labels on the rest of the products, and then assemble the soap package. The PET jar containing Salt Scrub is supplied by Continental Packaging Solutions (Chicago).

As a final touch, a raffia string is tied in a bow around all the packages. A small hangtag is printed with information about Nature Conservancy, an organization to which part of the profits from the line will be donated. The hangtags and raffia are supplied by Global Sales in Asia. The small scoop and raffia attached to the Sugar Scrub are supplied by Jackel International.

It took about nine months to launch the healing garden’s Organic Wild Honey collection. “Time was definitely a challenging factor. It was tight the whole way. The package development process is never foolproof,” says Gabry. Bautista adds, “It was especially tough to maintain a consistent look throughout all of the primary and secondary packages. The labels and cartons from different suppliers in different places all had to match.”

Overall, the team is very happy to have accomplished its goals for the design of this line.

Timeless Elegance

Lovely by Sarah Jessica Parker was launched by Lancaster Group in September. Parker, the Emmy–award winning actress and New York style icon, had already decided on an egg-shaped bottle when she collaborated with package designer Chad Lavigne of Chad Lavigne LLC. “I knew it was extremely important to Parker that all of the packaging always retained a timeless look, which meant it couldn’t be based on any current trends,” Lavigne says.

The smooth, polished glass has a sculptural feel, and the glass is colored a very pale pink. “Colored glass has a beautiful effect. The color is more intense toward the bottom where the glass is thick,” says Peggy Hoy, senior director, technical packaging for Lancaster Group. Bormioli Luigi (Horsham, PA) supplies the bottle, which also has a luxurious feeling of weight.

“When Sarah Jessica told us she loved ribbons, I thought a tailored grosgrain ribbon would add a warm touch,” says Lavigne. The ribbon is actually made of elasticized fabric. “The concern we had about using real ribbon was that it would have to be glued or taped, and it might not last a long time. We wanted this bottle to stay perfect,” says Hoy. Jackel International was able to duplicate a grosgrain look, custom dye the elasticized fabric, and sonically weld the ends together so it slips over the collar. “It won’t ever fall off now,” Hoy says.

When paired with its faceted cap, the bottle conveys the romantic impression of a vintage flacon. The initials SJP are engraved on the gold-tone actuator. The pale pink carton with gold lining reflects the femininity of the bottle inside. It is decorated with a very fine filagree pattern that is gravure printed in silver.

“Sarah Jessica was truly involved in every detail of this project. It was an extremely personal expression for her to create her own fragrance line. There even seemed to be a little magic in the air because she was so involved. The design process moved along flawlessly,” Lavigne says.

A Sophisticated Signature Look

The Kenneth Cole Signature collection was launched by Lancaster Group in September. The line contains a fragrance, deodorant, aftershave balm, and hair and body wash. The line’s design concept is meant to reflect modern luxury.

The fragrance’s elliptical-shaped bottle was designed by Kenneth Cole in collaboration with package designer Lavigne, who designed the Lovely by Sarah Jessica Parker bottle. The Kenneth Cole bottle is supplied by Pochet.

“I wanted to take the design of this Kenneth Cole fragrance in a new direction—completely different from past bottles,” says Lavigne. “I had already covered the young, hip market with the design of Reaction, while Kenneth Cole Black has a cool urban look. This time, I wanted to use a warmer palette in order for this fragrance to communicate with the consumer in a different way.” He was inspired by Cole’s personal office when designing the packaging. “Kenneth’s office is beautifully masculine, with modern touches. That is the look I wanted to translate to this bottle,” Lavigne explains.

The bottle’s cap is made of mahogany stained ash wood. “It was a challenge to meet the expectation of design and marketing to make the cap in real wood, but at an affordable price. Our supplier, Jackel, was able to do this. It was very important that the package look and feel luxurious, so simulated wood was not an option,” says Hoy.

The cap needed to be properly aligned with the bottle for a clean look. “We decided to embed magnets in the cap and also in the collar of the bottle to orient the cap correctly,” says Hoy. Lavigne adds, “I was excited when Peggy suggested using magnets. This was the one final detail that made this bottle’s design so successful.”

Next, the teams had to figure out how the bottle and cap would run on metal equipment without the magnets sticking to the machinery. “We developed special fixtures and had to do trial runs,” says Hoy. Making sure the magnets were lined up correctly was another challenge. “The pump holds the shoulder piece down, so it was important that all the parts marry up exactly,” says Hoy. The pump is supplied by Rexam Dispensing Systems (Purchase, NY). Its polished chrome collar and the Signature logo add modern elements to its design.

A wood grain effect was printed on the carton. The Signature logo is chrome. The shower gel is packaged in a dark brown, coextruded tube by Berry-Tubed Products (Easthampton, MA). The polypropylene cap is a patented, center-dispensing design by Berry-Tubed Products. “We designed this cap for ease of use. It has a self-wiping orifice,” says Jim Farley of Berry-Tubed Products. It has a metal overshell, which gives it a shiny silver look.

Coty Inc.'s Brands

Coty Beauty, the world’s leader in mass and "masstige" distribution channels:

Rimmel, adidas, the healing garden, Calgon, Celine Dion, Stetson, Shania Twain, Jovan, Aspen, mary-kateandashley, Esprit. The following are not available in the United States: Isabella Rossellini, Astor, David and Victoria Beckham, Miss Sixty, and Pierre Cardin.

Lancaster Group, the prestige division:

Davidoff, Jennifer Lopez, Jil Sander, JOOP!, Vivienne Westwood, Marc Jacobs, Kenneth Cole, Baby Phat, Nautica, Jette Joop, Lovely by Sarah Jessica Parker, Calvin Klein, Vera Wang, and Cerruti. The following are not available in the United States: Lancaster, Nikos, and Chopard.

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