by Tanja Schlager, Director of Consulting at Bel Epok

THE CHALLENGE FOR LUXURY BRANDS: TO ACHIEVE THE DELICATE BALANCE BETWEEN THE EXCLUSIVITY OF THEIR OFFERING AND THE NEED TO GROW THE BUSINESS. 

I often have discussions with clients about what defines luxury. Looking at the example of a specific luxury product we see that it cannot be reduced to its functionality, quality or aesthetics, the material used or the skills and craftsmanship required to produce it. A luxury product also has a lot to do with exclusivity and “social stratification”. By owning a specific product and displaying the related brand I both treat myself (in the private sphere) and communicate personal achievement through the luxury brand in the public arena. 

Although the democratization of luxury has created increased revenue streams for luxury companies, it also brings the risk of “vulgarization” of the brand. Louis Vuitton – responsible for more than half the income of the LVMH group – last week announced a change of strategy after sales results in the second half of 2012 failed to meet expectations. As a consequence LVMH CEO Bernhard Arnauld has announced that Louis Vuitton will now open fewer new stores than planned in 2013; focus more on improving the existing stores; and use even more exclusive materials for leather goods, its main business driver. It has also been decided to push products that do not display the LV logo. These measures are basically aimed at strengthening the exclusive character of the brand. This is a reaction to mass popularity with the general public and teenagers, which has resulted in a ubiquity and overexposure of the brand that has alienated wealthy clients, especially in Asia. 

Competition between luxury brands is fierce. All luxury brands thus face the imperative of growing as a business, which depends on cultivating their future customers – starting in their teens– at an early stage. This is achieved either by offering entry products under the name of the main brand in an affordable price range or by selling a younger product line under a different brand name. In my opinion, Louis Vuitton is now moving in the right direction to rebuild the credibility and relevance of its luxury positioning. The challenge will now be to translate all the individual initiatives into a single, coherent luxury experience that is unique to Louis Vuitton.

The visiting professorship of BEL EPOK Creative Director Sebastian Fischenich at the Institute of Fashion Design of Berlin’s prestigious “UDK” provided the framework for developing a broad range of well-founded new product concepts. The project “CHOICE” explored the question: What creates exclusivity? Students were asked to grapple with the concept of exclusivity, to define a personal standpoint and formulate a design statement on that basis. The resulting works were staged by stylist Christian Kleemann, photographed by Michael Mann and presented to the public at the university’s “studio walk-through” event in the summer of 2012.

The Berlin-based international ‘directional’ fashion magazine invited Bel Epok Creative Director Sebastian Fischenich to contribute the text for an editorial piece on fragrance as an investment object. As an experienced designer, teacher of design, exhibition curator and co-founder with Bel Epok Managing Director Tobias Müksch of the perfume brand Humiecki&Graef, Fischenich was a natural choice to provide a voice of creative competence in this exclusive specialist area. 

Bel Epok clients benefit daily from this sought-after expertise.

Bel Epok Creative Director Sebastian Fischenich was co-curator of the exhibition: Perfume Bottling Seduction, which ran from December 2011 to April 2012.
With a deep understanding of the history and cultural significance of packaging and design coupled with broad knowledge of perfume and of fragrance culture across the ages, Bel Epok was a natural choice for collaboration on the perfume exhibition. The Zurich/Cologne-based agency was involved from the outset, helping to develop the concept and content of the show, which included a special focus on the topic of male and female imagery in perfume communication.

Set up of the exhibition © Museum Bellerive

Set up of the exhibition © Museum Bellerive

L’univers de la Femme © Museum Bellerive

L’univers de l’Homme © Museum Bellerive

L’univers de l’Homme © Museum Bellerive

La nature, source d’inspiration © Museum Bellerive

Vernissage © Museum Bellerive

Vernissage © Museum Bellerive

Perfume lovers of the world rejoice: ODE has arrived! A fanzine for the fragrance aficionado, created, designed and published by Bel Epok.
ODE #1 “Scentual Perception” is all about pictures and perfume; the fleeting, emotional impression of a scent and the solid, lasting image used to express it: How do we see the things we smell? Bel Epok asked 33 creative professionals to respond to this question with an associative image inspired by a favorite fragrance. Other contributions include: Images/statements submitted by 13 renowned photographers in response to a different unidentified perfume sent to each by Bel Epok; scent-inspired essays and short stories by a celebrated author, an economist/research scientist and a neurologist/novelist round out the eclectic, inspiring contents of ODE, a new scentsation from Bel Epok.
For further informations please visit:  www.ode-publication.com

How to turn a standard tube packaging into a gift box within seconds and with no need of sellotape.

A hardcover brochure based on the idea of a science primer gives an accessible overview of a decade of agency work. Foldout pages present short, encyclopedic entries accompanied by artistic interpretations of miniature classroom wall charts, pictures created together with photographer Götz Sommer. Celebrating of 10 years of our laboratory of delight, the brochure not only showcases design know-how but also demonstrates expert knowledge of materials, printing techniques, and their sophisticated application. Bel Epok expresses special thanks to the Gmund paper company for their kind support and to all our clients, past, present, and future.

Bel Epok proudly announces its 10th anniversary. We thank our customers and suppliers wholeheartedly for ongoing support and numerous opportunities to raise our creative game. With you we have overcome obstacles, hit targets, learned from mistakes, found solutions and enjoyed successes. With ten years of satisfying results to choose from, we have selected ten exemplary projects to showcase our distinctive work.

The first ten years of Bel Epok has been intriguing, invigorating, eventful and, admittedly, sometimes exhausting. As a result we now enjoy a broad client base and productive ongoing collaborations with many significant and respected brands, primarily in the fields of fashion, perfumery and cosmetics. On these pages, we present a select sampling of projects across a range of categories. Bel Epok invites you to enjoy this review of work well done as we embark on a new decade of delight.

Lookbooks that play to win. From 2008 – 2010 Bel Epok develops concepts, designs and oversees production of striking and unusual lookbooks for the iconic sporting brand. The 2008 edition wins the German Printing Industry Award for »Best Print Product« 2009.  go to gallery

Stepping out in style. In 2006/2007 Bel Epok creates a 360° concept and design to launch the new accessories departments in the historic German department store chain. The focus is on an eye-catching façade and window campaign and high-quality mailings with an aesthetic tie-in to the window theme.  go to gallery

Mediterranean flair. In 2008/2009 Bel Epok develops the concept and designs the new corporate identity for the fashion brand from the south of France. To achieve an effective universal communication, all aspects of the brand are realized, down to retail packaging items, labeling and hang tags.  go to gallery

What they see is what you sell. To successfully present the collections of stalwart fashion brand HUGO BOSS/HUGO, Bel Epok creates high-end sales books with a cassette cover for the seasons: Autumn/Winter 2008 and Summer 2009. The agency is responsible for design and art direction as well as production management.
go to gallery

Panscentual. From 2008 on, Bel Epok originates an entire new perfume brand. Creative direction includes everything from the individual fragrance concepts, to design of the flacons, stoppers, packaging and key visuals as well as art direction and production management of all aspects. The brand is a stellar example of »artistic perfumery«.
go to gallery

Double take. In 2007 Bel Epok develops the corporate identity to relaunch the womenswear brand, including design of all product support items (labeling, hang tgas, etc.). The agency is responsible for the concept and art direction of the Joop! Women launch campaign.  go to gallery

Putting their best face forward. 2009 – 2011 Bel Epok is the consulting creative agency of the classic Swiss cosmetics company. Responsibilities include overall creative consultation and the concept development/design of all communications media (excluding Website), i.e. print, POS, windows.  go to gallery

Won in translation. 2003 – 2009 Bel Epok is the creative agency for Shiseido Germany, responsible for concepts, design and realization of distinctive media, such as POS campaigns/elements, counter and window displays to effectively communicate the Japanese brand to the German market.  go to gallery

Crystal clear persuasion. From 2005-2011 Bel Epok is responsible for concept development, design and art direction of numerous communication projects and POS showcases for the glittering Austrian brand.  go to gallery

Sharing the creative wealth. From 2001 Bel Epok Creative Director Sebastian Fischenich applies his knowledge and experience to a design professorship in Berlin. The agency regularly acts as a cooperation partner on projects such as a magazine and a final exam fashion show.  go to gallery

A Portrait of the Agency as an Assemblage

To mark its 10th anniversary Bel Epok created photographic stagings of a selection of diverse agency projects. Hamburg based photographer Götz Sommer collaborated on a series of abstract assemblage interpretations of exemplary work. The whimsical yet sophisticated photo still lifes reflect the agency’s “laboratory of delight” ethos.

VISUAL FOR CATEGORY “BRANDING”

VISUAL FOR CATEGORY “IDENTITY”

VISUAL FOR CATEGORY “PRODUCT”

VISUAL FOR CATEGORY “PACKAGING”

VISUAL FOR CATEGORY “SHOWCASE”

VISUAL FOR CATEGORY “SPACE”

VISUAL FOR CATEGORY “COMMUNICATION”

VISUAL FOR CATEGORY “PRINT”

Bel Epok is serving as the practical partner for the research project “Wissensduft” at the University of the Arts, Bern, Switzerland. The subject of study is the Bel Epok-specific methodology of developing fragrance concepts. Research results will be presented in trade and academic publications/symposia in March 2012. The project is supported by the Swiss National Science Foundation.

Step 1: Research and concept by Bel Epok

Step 2: First idea for the perfume

Step 3: The perfumers are working according to Bel Epok´s briefing

Step 4: First evaluation of the perfume; the Creative Director meets the perfumers

Step 5: Final evaluation by the perfumers