Editors’ Choice Award Winner: Fragrance
Betsey Johnson Parfum
by Colorful Licenses USA/Karis Group Ltd.
Betsey Johnson Parfum has the same whimsical look as the designer’s fashion line. The faceted bottle curves inward, resembling a cinched waist on a corseted dress. Its 7-in.-tall hot-pink cap might remind one of a chandelier—or the type of feathered hat that would be worn by a showgirl in Las Vegas. However, it is the secondary packaging that is used to instantly connect this fragrance with fashion. Johnson’s signature textile patterns were replicated on each side of the decorative setup box.
The packaging was designed by Johnson in collaboration with Catherin Jo Ann Wind of Win Communication. The cap and bottle design were based on the look of a vintage bottle that Johnson bought in an an-tique shop in the early 1980s. Supplier Oosterbeek produces the cap, and Emsar supplies the bottle’s pump.
“The bottle is an interesting shape, with all of its facets. The cap is very well done and resembles a tiara. These two elements play together pretty well,” says awards panelist George Kress, vice president of corporate package innovations for The Estée Lauder Companies.
“This package really hits the mark in terms of design. It truly conveys the designer’s personality,” says panelist Paul McLaughlin, creative director for Liz Claiborne Cosmetics.
Another panelist, Hana Zalzal, president of Cargo Cosmetics, comments that she feels an instant connection with the Betsey Johnson brand when looking at the bottle. “If I didn’t know whose fragrance it was, there’s a good chance I would have guessed correctly,” she says. “This design is very well executed because it conveys the essence of the Betsey Johnson brand name so well.”
Heinz Glas supplies the faceted bottle. The company was able to complete the production process in just 12 weeks. “Normally you would need to use a three-part mold for this bottle shape, but we were able to develop a way to mold this bottle using only a two-part mold,” explains Henry Schubert, senior manager of research and development for Heinz Glas. “This is how we were able to shorten production time.” The bottle is sprayed a light yellow, and the Betsey Johnson logo is pad printed on the bottle’s neck and shoulder.
It is the setup box that is first noticed in stores. This box has the power to instantly attract all of Betsey Johnson’s devoted fans. Four different patterns adorn each side of the box, which is supplied by Remmert Dekker. The same hot-pink floral and leopard patterns that adorn Betsey Johnson dresses, as well as the curtains and wallpaper in her boutiques, were replicated on the box. “The patterns were very challenging to print on the box. They had to be colored and sized to match the actual prints of the textiles that we were copying,” explains Wind.
Hot-pink flocking, which feels like velvet, was used on the box to give the patterns a three-dimensional look. Applying the flocking required precise positioning in specific areas. “A flocked carton certainly adds that credibility, letting the consumer know it’s a luxury fragrance,” says awards panelist Peter Hargraves, section head for Procter & Gamble global packaging and device development, cosmetics. Kress agrees, and feels that the flocking adds a nice textural element. “There is also a real contrast among the different panels on the box. From a visual standpoint, it speaks pretty loudly,” adds Kress.
Johnson succeeded in creating a unique, unexpected look for her first fragrance that is as unconventional as her fashion line. “We are lucky to have had the opportunity to work with Betsey. She’s so creative,” says Kristine Spurney, vice president, Karis Group.