How Molton Brown executed the

How Molton Brown executed the perfect brief

By Vincent Villéger, Luxury Packaging Creative Consultant, @vv_luxurypackaging

here is much negative talk out there about creative misadventures. Tales of poor practices and of fractious client/designer relationships. Nightmare stories of misunderstood visions and dreadful compromise.

Today, I would like to offer a controversial, alternative take on this narrative. Today, I would like to tell the story of what happens when everything goes right.

I have been saying it to my clients for over twenty years now: my designs will only ever be as good as your brief. As it turns out, Molton Brown came to the table with a near perfect brief. Not by chance. The teams had put a lot of work into establishing what the problem was, without trying to find a solution (that’s my job).

The problem in question: the fine fragrance category was not performing to expectations. Presented in the same roundshouldered bottle as the brand’s famous body wash, the fragrances didn’t stand out amidst the wide product offering. The scents were created by master perfumers, using ingredients of the highest quality, but the perfumes just weren’t selling. That was the problem. Packaging was the answer.

Three key objectives were very clearly set out, against which any design concept would be measured. First, we had to reclaim a luxury positioning for the brand’s fine fragrance category. Then, credibility would need to be established in the fine fragrance market. Finally, the packaging should tell the brand’s story: born in 1970s London, with a progressive outlook characteristic of the period.

The design

I set out to address the bottle silhouette. Creating a form that would stand out amongst the brand’s vast range of products and establish a clear hierarchy between the different product categories. Inspired by 1970s art and visual references, the design borrows from various aspects of the brand’s design language. So, although it stands out, it still belongs. By turning it into a bold spherical cap, the Lens - one of the brand’s key assets - became the main feature of the bottle.

For the Eaux de Parfum, each scent has its own cap colour. This helps with range navigation of course, but more importantly it is an expression of individuality, a concept key to the brand’s approach to scent.

The production process means each cap displays unique patterns, so no two bottles are the same. A concave mirrored surface to the top of the bottle creates distorted reflections reminiscent of the psychedelic imagery of the 1970s: a reference to the brand’s origins and an expression of perfume’s unique ability to alter perceptions and create our own reality. To achieve the required level of luxury, I relied on three strategies.

First, there’s weight: the glass base is thick, with the shoulders covered

in a metal sheath. So, the bottle feels heavier than expected. Then comes tactility, which always plays a central role in my designs. In this instance, raised inks, laser-etched motifs and debossed repeat pattern textures all play a subtle part in raising the tactility bar. Finally, I introduced a sophisticated use of colour. Dark smokey brown picks up on the brand’s core colour, the caps providing a subtle colour highlight. A departure from the array of colours previously seen on the shelves. Instead, a true sense of a collection of luxury perfumes. The brand comes first.

Having invested so much in designing - and making - such a qualitative bottle, it seems counterintuitive to expect it to be discarded after its original use. We ensured it was refillable, offering the service in Molton Brown stores. Better for the environment. Better for footfall. Better for loyalty.

And of course, the commercials were considered as part of the design process. The Eaux de Toilette share the silhouette, ensuring they belong firmly in the fine fragrance family. But subtle differences in treatment allow for efficiencies. The aluminium cap, the lighter glass lacquering and the simpler carton all make it viable for these to retail at a lower price than the Eaux de Parfum.

A collaborative process

Collaboration is what made this project such a success. The brand knew what it needed to achieve. They did their homework in ensuring this was clearly communicated, then trusted me to deliver. Embraced the creative process.

Crucially, I was also involved throughout the entire development process: creating a bridge between brand and production teams, visiting the paper mill to develop two bespoke papers and the glassmakers to oversee the expansive lacquering range. I was on the shop floor at the printers, checking the carton embossing was deep enough.

I love working this way because I truly believe the development process is a creative one, key to the viability of the end result. That’s why I like to get hands-on, go to the factory, talk to the machine operator. Because it’s not what I design. It’s what we make.

This design has won multiple awards, and to some this would represent the ultimate accolade. To me, the greatest satisfaction is to have been able to help the client bring their ambitions to life. The process delivered on all the objectives we had set ourselves, resulting in a design that is timeless - just the way I like them.

Yes, this project was great. But it is not unique. Over the course of my career, I have been fortunate to work - and continue to work - with great brands. Great clients. Great people. Be it Burberry, Clive Christian, Givenchy, or the ones I am not yet allowed to mention! As we emerge from the toughest couple of years in a generation, it seems fitting to unashamedly use this platform to express my gratitude to them all.

Top left image: Vincent’s design for the EDP bottle. Top right image: The EDT collection. Bottom right image: Tactility detailing on pack.