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Fine materials take center stage
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By Élise Cornevin
Is hyper luxury a new marketing concept or a simple return to its origins? In decoration, architecture, real estate, hospitality, this odd word is on everyone’s lips from Paris to Bali, evoking splendor even more extreme than usual. And it also touches objects for our daily life, from cell phones paved with diamonds to watches and leather goods. Brands are racing to outdo each other, because of a simple observation. We were seeing luxury spread, become commonplace, become industrialized and mass produced so that it was reaching the middle classes, expanding its audience and its volumes.
But, luxury which is available to the masses is a contradiction in terms. And, as it is democratized, the luxury aspect becomes lost. So, if that is the case, how does one target the very rich, and the new Indian, Chinese and Russian billionaires, but also those consumers who, at a constant budget, save money on mid-range products by turning to low-cost items in order to find the money necessary to consume luxury products?
 Luxurious cases of cognac | It’s simple; to stand out from this tarnished, accessible luxury, one must make one’s products rarer and more expensive. If one wants to make the consumer dream, one must offer exceptional, extreme products. The offer must be made scarce in order to once again generate desire. |
So, the limited edition strategy becomes the obvious choice. Fragrances and alcohol have been following this trend since they became staple goods. “In the past four or five years, we’ve seen a definite move upmarket for cognacs”, observes Cesar Iglesias, export manager at DDC, “with cases showing off the bottles in a much more luxurious way”. Wines and spirits target exceptional vintages and fragrance creators return to their first love: fine perfumery, with its outrageously priced raw materials.
Whatever it takes
Naturally, an exceptional product requires exceptional packaging. Packs become precious, worthy of the product they contain. But what makes a pack precious?
 The Glenmorangie bottle, topped with a zamac stopper, is presented in a lacquered wooden case. Design: Moberly London. Glass: Saverglass |  Glengoyne packaging |
“It’s extremely subjective. Preciousness is a relative thing”, states Dominique Weizman, director of Dezineo. “It’s all a question of perception, with respect to a level of expectation and exigency based on the type of product.” Is it the value of its use, the elements of which it is composed or a dual function which means it can be kept after the packaged object has been used? Returning to fundamentals, it appears that it’s above all the quality of craftsmanship and the rarity of the materials.
For a long time, out of modesty or hypocrisy, no one spoke of luxury but rather of quality. Today, luxury has come to terms with itself, and is even proud of itself, but that doesn’t mean it has abandoned quality, even though it’s becoming more ostentatious. In the industry, decoration possibilities and effects are multiplying, imitating natural and noble materials in order to give products good perceived value. But there’s no imitation here. Original, authentic and tailor-made products are a must. Brands prefer materials with a historically luxurious connotation.
A spruce resonating chamber was included inside the case in order to amplify the Corum watch’s chimes, using stringed-instrument making techniques. Manufacturer: COFIMA
For bottles, we’re seeing crystal, reminiscent of the splendor of yesteryear, crystal chandelier glassware. And secondary packaging is seeking inspiration from markets which have never denied their elite nature, with fine jewellery and watch-making in first place. And buyers naturally turn to the traditional manufacturers of these sectors, who are seeing new markets open to them. “Until now we’ve been working mostly for jewellery, but we’re getting more and more requests for perfumes and liqueurs, with more added value in this sector”, explains Florence Wagner, sales manager at Speciality Product. Gainerie 91 is seeing the same trend: “We make all of our products by hand, with expertise in leatherwork, leather sheath work, woodworking, cabinetwork and gilding” comments Nathalie Dore, sales manager. “Our over thirty years' experience in jewellery and watch making is now attracting brands from the beauty world.”
| Obviously, there are no folding boxes for these prestige editions. “We’re seeing a comeback of wood, which gives an object a soul, confidence, serenity and preciousness”, analyzes Dominique Weizman. Natural, lacquered, burrs, the goal is to create a surprise effect with unusual essences. This is the niche of Evelyne, a Parisian workshop. Its creator, François Hérail, began by designing a tea box for an Emirate prince … then completed projects for the world’s most prestigious luxury houses, hotels and winemakers. |  Teak base covered with 14 layers of red lacquer as per Chinese tradition. The interior is lined with cedar. Manufacturer: Évelyne |
He specializes in premium products like jewel cases, cigar cabinets and wine cabinets, with a special love for traditional lacquering and rare essences. “My real passion is to seek and work beautiful materials, and to create unusual effects”, this multitalented craftsman explains. Mahogany, amaranth, Macassar ebony, tulip wood, snakewood, letterwood: he works with more and more precious woods. An example is a rosewood box made by the cabinetmaker Etienne de Souza for Indult fragrances. Slightly less expensive, so-called noble or semi-precious woods such as camphor, teak, boxwood, walnut, sycamore and wild cherry are also highly prized. Because, naturally, “while demand for wooden pieces is strong”, tempers Patrick Giuntini, managing director of Vaudaux, “the choice of the essence directly affects the cost”. With prices which can double for the same box. But since the cost price of the packaging depends on the product’s sale price, hyper luxury doesn’t have the value constraints of cheaper products. “And for pieces costing tens or hundreds of thousands of euros in very small series, the brands are prepared to invest a few hundred euros in a case”, he adds. “For more classic series of 30 000 watches per year, for example, we can produce very upmarket products for €30 to €40.”
Indult bottles come in a rosewood box
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