Collaboration With Rexam Sees New Aesthetic Effects In Dupont™ Surlyn® For Latest Balenciaga Caps And Collars

Balenciaga Paris, Balenciaga’s first major fragrance launch since 1998 and the first under new licensing arrangements with Coty, illustrates some of the new aesthetic effects possible with DuPont™ Surlyn® for the caps and collars of its bottles.  Both elements of the fragrance’s packaging are produced by the packaging company Rexam using new and innovative techniques, achieved thanks to the unique properties of Surlyn®.

Balenciaga Paris, Balenciaga’s first major fragrance launch since 1998 and the first under new licensing arrangements with Coty, illustrates some of the new aesthetic effects possible with DuPont™ Surlyn® for the caps and collars of its bottles.  Both elements of the fragrance’s packaging are produced by the packaging company Rexam using new and innovative techniques, achieved thanks to the unique properties of Surlyn®. A more recently launched skincare cream jar of the same range also features a cap made of Surlyn® with the same authentic and luxurious effects.

The pale amber fragrance is housed in a prism-like glass bottle with an ivory effect collar, molded in Surlyn®, and a cracked porcelain cap, also in Surlyn®, to remind of antique vases from the 18th century. The colors and visual effects produced on the two Surlyn® parts required the highest technical expertise of Rexam, working in close cooperation with material experts from DuPont. “Naturally the serial and consistent production of these effects demanded close cooperation with DuPont material experts and the highest technical skills of our own production team,” confirms Fanny Mallard, Key Account Manager at Rexam. “Yet the results have been remarkably well received by our customer and the brand-owner alike, and are fully in keeping with the authentic and luxurious appeal of Balenciaga and its cosmetic products.”

A Cap Reminiscent of Old Porcelain

One of the eye-catching elements of the bottle’s design is a cap reminiscent of old porcelain. The cap itself is molded with a white Surlyn® outerlayer, which is subsequently etched with black lines. The use of Surlyn® in this case is determined by the excellent contrast between the white of the material and the black lines – by far the best of materials tested – as well as its glossy, porcelain-like appearance.

A Collar in Ivory

The colored collar of the bottle has been produced with a specific coloration process, called the jaspe effect, creating cloudings and streaks to resemble the appearance of ivory. Such a visual effect is achieved in a patented process from DuPont by blending Surlyn® with multiple colorants and materials. The aesthetic appeal of the new fragrance’s design has been so great that the same ivory appearance has been extended to the packaging of the Balenciaga Paris skincare line, starting with the cap of the new cream jar launched in September 2010.

Source: DuPont