250 Years of Creating Desire

Veuve Clicquot: 250 Years of Creating Desire

by Pamela Tailor | December 2022

VEUVE CLICQUOT ICONS

When it comes to champagne brands, Veuve Clicquot is definitely a synonym for amusement, innovation and creativity in design. It is almost impossible to pass by the airport Duty Free area or the food hall of a department store without seeing the eye-catching gift boxes of the brand! From “La Ponsardine”– a gift box in the shape of a sardine’s tin– to the “Birthday Cake”, a champagne cooler made up of several paint buckets– it is not surprising that Veuve Clicquot is the champagne house receiving the highest number of awards for creative and innovative design globally. And this year, it could not have been different! As part of the celebration of the 250th anniversary of the brand, a series of four of the most desirable gift boxes has been relaunched.

“THE ICONS” is an exclusive collection of the House’s most emblematic pieces, which have been purposely re-invented to be more sustainable. The fashionable “Clicquot Ice Jacket”, initially inspired by diver’s wetsuits and made from Neoprene is now composed of 100% recycled plastic fibers. It uses state-of-the-art “3D knitting” technology, a process in which a digital, three-dimensional pattern is being produced in a single “print”, eliminating excess material still maintaining its isothermal properties.

“The Clicquot Ice Box” looks like an ordinary box at first glance, but when being released, it is beautifully unfolding like a flower, while it transforms into an ice bucket which is reusable up to 10 times – a fantastic example of second life in packaging design.

“The Clicquot Fridge” created in collaboration with the iconic Italian brand SMEG is simply stylish and sweet. It is almost like the bottle comes along with its own tailor-made fridge that keeps the champagne cool for up to two hours. The new edition is now plastic-free and constructed in recyclable tin, with a removable wedge made from 100% sugarcane waste.

“The Clicquot Arrow” was originally inspired by a real road sign. It can be customized with a city name and indicates the number of kilometers from the selected city to the cellars of Veuve Clicquot in Reims, France. Besides keeping a bottle chilled for up to two hours, it is now made of 30% recycled materials and can be upcycled as a keepsake box.

“THE ICONS” collection reflects the vision of the female founder, the young widow Barbe-Nicole Clicquot-Ponsardin, also known as “La grande dame de la Champagne”. She was convinced that the design of a product was as important as the taste and said: “Our wines must flatter both the palate and the eye.” Her bold spirit is actually reflected in the design of all touchpoints of the brand, starting with the color choice. Choosing a bright yellow color for a high-end champagne brand was definitely an audacious decision! The Veuve Clicquot Yellow, the color of optimism and sunshine, is a subtle mix of golden yellow and orange. It is fun and joyful like experiencing the splendid wine in the bottle.

“Our wines must flatter both the palate and the eye.”

- MADAME CLICQUOT

Ice Jacket

Ice Box

Fridge

Arrow

Touching this collection of icons made me contemplate – what makes the design language of Veuve Clicquot so special? I would say it is the combination of a witty idea with an elegant, joyful and distinctive aesthetics. The packs and objects created by the brand are more than just intelligent. They are explicitly clever. They are playful, warm, colorful, memorable and reflect our Zeitgeist. They amuse, they form a bond with customers. They add frisson. They create desire. And desire is what leads us through life.

- This article has been published on the Edition 202 of the Creativ Verpacken Magazine -

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