2009 Editors’ Choice Award Winner: Fragrance
Harajuku Lovers
by Coty Prestige
Harajuku Lovers by Coty Prestige is a collection of five fragrances, each with different doll-shaped overcaps. Designed in collaboration with Gwen Stefani, the packaging reflects the singer’s admiration of the colorful styles of trend-setting teens in the Harajuku district of Tokyo. The fragrance bottles also capture the style of Stefani and her backup dancers.
“The design concept was clear from the start. We wanted to bring the Harajuku characters to life with the packaging,” says Jon Dinapoli, creative director, Coty Prestige. The Coty team met with Stefani many times to ensure that the design stayed true to her vision.
One of the biggest challenges was figuring out how to decorate the dolls. Dinapoli says that many models of the dolls had to be created. During production, the look of the dolls continually evolved, with tweaks made to size, shape, and decoration every step of the way. “Negotiating with suppliers was also a long process, as we were searching for perfection with the dolls and how they functioned. It took several trips and many hours in the factory to achieve,” explains Dinapoli.
Jackel Cosmetics Ltd. produced the caps, which include the rotation-molded dolls on top and polypropylene liners inside. When Jackel received the design brief, its team knew that it would be challenging finding the most appropriate materials, manufacturing processes, and finishes to best capture the design concept. “We had to ensure that the dolls would be durable and be able to retain their appearance for years to come,” says Pansy Muller, CEO, Jackel U.S.
Intricate patterns were used to create the dolls’ clothing and facial features. “Some parts are hand-applied decals, and other details are hand-painted,” explains Dinapoli.
Part of the decorating process involved combining a multicolor water-release labeling process and tempo printing, says Muller. “Achieving this design required highly trained workers with skillful hands,” she says. The contoured surfaces of the figurines made the decorating process more difficult and time-consuming. One of the dolls alone required 22 different decorating processes.
“It was a great challenge to achieve the level of quality that we wanted. The solutions that we found were to compromise when we could, but then to push hard for the really important aspects,” says Dinapoli.
Muller says that this was the most unique concept for a package design that Jackel has seen. “It’s a wonderful fusion of a doll and a prestige fragrance package,” she says. “We were proud to have been a key part of this very special fragrance launch.”
Coty Prestige says that it designed the caps with collectibility in mind. CPC Packaging awards panelist Rochelle Bloom, president of The Fragrance Foundation, says that looking at the bottles makes her smile. “They’re unique, charming, and collectible—suited for any age. It’s one of the most imaginative fragrance packages I’ve seen in years,” she says.