The Look of Luxury

FORGET the recession and the global financial doldrums. Luxury is still very much in the picture for certain types of foods and beverages particularly wines and spirits. For the latter, it is essential that the book be read by its cover: luxe packaging needs to be match content of the highest standards.

It's appropriate that the most recent Pentawards, the first and only worldwide competition that is solely dedicated to packaging design in all its forms – including the luxury packages shown here – were given in Shanghai during the World Expo. China, after all, accounted $9.4 billion in luxury sales in 2009 and accounts for 27.5 per cent of the world's luxury goods market. In terms of demographics, wealthy spenders in China are younger than those in other luxury-loving countries (McKinsey & Co.)  Whilst high-end consumers under the age of 45 make up 80 per cent of this market in China, the shares are much smaller in the United States (30%) and Japan (19%) so analysts expect the Mainland market to soon to surpass global No. 1 Japan.

Brigitte Evrard, co-founder of the Pentawards, noted the 2010 awards registered more and more creations from emerging countries through the years. In the Luxury category, for instance, entries from China and Croatia were recognised with Gold Pentawards by international panel of judges.

Highlighting the Hispanic in China

Wines are growing segment in luxury purchases in China (including Hong Kong), the 8th largest wine consumer in the world and the 10th largest producer in 2008. The world’s largest market was clearly the growth driver for wine consumption in Asia and globally.

Introducing Spanish wines to the Chinese market – dominated by French brands – is no easy task.  Opting for the path of tradition by keeping the Hispanic identity and authenticity, designer Eduardo del Fraile chose to blend elements of Spanish and Chinese culture in creating packaging for the wine range "Lascala". The results captured the Platinum Pentaward 2010 (Beverages).

A common element on the bottles is an Asian face made up in white symbolises China, whilst a lock of curly hair on the brow symbolises Spain.  A rosé, La Peineta (The Comb), shows a traditional Spanish comb in the hair of a Chinese woman. The white wine, El Abanico (The Fan), superimposes this typically Spanish but also Asian accessory on the mask-like visage.  On the red, La Bailaora de Flamenco (The Flamenco Dancer), a black-clad dancer stands out on a face made up in white. The typography also mixes Eastern and Western traditions, as the Western alphabet is treated vertically as are Chinese characters.

Finally, the bottles are covered with a tissue paper printed with red dots in reference to Flamenco dresses and shoes (shown on the cover): A mix of the ying and the yang for the hardness of glass and the lightness of tissue paper.

Redefining Bag-in-Box Wine
Bag-in-Box wine system "Vernissage" from the Sweden's Oenoforos has taken consumers and the press by storm, both in Sweden and internationally. Behind the success are Sofia Blomberg, who designed the unique packaging, and Takis Soldatos who designed the content.  The handbag shaped container redefines this packaging as a "bag in bag" whilst the result is an elegant and very typical grape blend of Chardonnay and Viognier from France, produced in one of the most modern production facilities, the Nordic Sea Winery in Simrishamn.

The idea behind the opening is in a playful way to turn to the curious and modern consumer – this striking bag shape allied to excellent graphics took the wine box to a new level which they felt also would appeal to women far more than conventional boxes. As a bonus, the bag-in-bag-wine with the female touch movAccesorios para el running