Dear customers, dear partners,
When Kering started developing its Beauty entity and reclaiming its fragrance licenses, everything had to be built from the ground up: teams, marketing mix, bold creative choices, and above all, the ambition of a triumphant return through a collection of ten revisited, revamped fragrances.
We had already worked with some of the pack development and marketing team, so Balenciaga quite naturally invited us to help fine-tune their new fragrance line. The first stage was adorning the collection’s defining LE DIX bottle – a fragrance Cristóbal Balenciaga named after the House’s mythical 10 Avenue George V address. The team opted for a vintage-feel black label, marked by the passage of time. The goal throughout development was to reveal the brand’s legacy through the idea of a rediscovered and modernized heritage.
MR MOCK-UP LAB was there for every trial run with technical tips and suggestions for developing the right tools, finding the right color ratios, and testing patina effects and carefully crafted signs of wear.
From the label and box to the entire range’s cardboard packaging, the whole development was a process both exciting and rewarding.
The right code: “Between heritage and contemporary expression”
We worked hand in hand with the fragrance teams to find a perfect balance across the entire range of product possibilities – something that would evoke vintage, but not wear and tear.
– a very light CMYK print, along with a few carefully-selected micro-specks, gives the white paper a vintage effect;
– very meticulous paper trials which settled on a leather-grain paper with a truly unique texture;
– bronze gilding – the result of an extended search that unearthed a forgotten Kurz ref;
– deliberately imperfect tool tests, to mimic the effect of patinated gilding worn by time.
Eco-designing an iconic box
The brand gave us 3D images of the packaging. Our teams read into them, suggested technical directions, and above all, pinpointed an innovative and sustainable design (that’s our jam!) – one that’s very sturdy but ideally adhesive-free.
This box is wrapped, yet adhesive-free – yep, a fully-wrapped framework that uses no glue. The entire structure boasts a nice 7mm thickness for a look that differs from more classic boxes. Adding to its bell jar design, this case also includes a podium stand that holds the bottle in place while elevating it further.
An uncompromising search for perceived value and sustainability.
Partners across the whole line
From concept to finished product, MR MOCK-UP LAB acted with an in-house design office-like:
we supported, advised, and locked down the whole packaging development project, helping the packaging development and marketing teams stay on top of a strategic relaunch paired with the fast-paced work environment of a couture brand.
With our skills in design, showcasing, testing, and demonstration – all within a frequently tight deadline 😉 – MR MOCK-UP LAB was able to bring Balenciaga’s intentions to life with a fully coherent cardboard packaging range for the launch:
– “teaser” invitation at the Spring-Summer fashion show, including a first look at the samples;
– bell jar box for the whole collection;
– miniatures set with all ten fragrances;
– outer folding box packaging;
– cigarette case for 10 afficionados;
– samples…
What a joy it was to convey a fresh new look at such a significant legacy, and partner up with such passionate teams. Many thanks to the Balenciaga crew for their renewed trust in us.
Can’t wait to join you for even more creations, recreations, and reinventions!
The MR Team
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