Jean Paul Gaultier is a reknown stylist and fashion designer but he is also known for his line of perfumes. While looking around in my house for an object to write about I came across the packaging of my dad’s Jean Paul Gaultier after shave lotion. Although he had long finished and thrown away the lotion’s bottle he had kept the packaging on our bathroom counter. Maybe he had kept it to reuse as storage but maybe he had kept it for what it represented.

 

 The container consists of a simple tin can with the Jean Paul Gaultier logo discretely embossed on it. The can has a smooth and glossy finish, which differentiates it from any other ordinary can. The can is painted in a deep gray color with contrasting gold lids, with the botton one being the only removable one. The bottom lid has the logo engraved and a plastic support mounted on it, which tightly held the lotion’s bottle. Inside the container, there is another plastic support attached to the top lid to ensure that the bottle wouldn’t move around.

 

If you have seen the perfumes’ or after shave lotions’ bottles, you would know that they are quite unique with their male or female body shape. The packaging however seems to have a completely different approach. While the bottles have a seductive look, the container opts for a more simplistic yet elegant image. The designer’s commitment in choosing unusual and sometimes inexpensive materials is nicely represented with the use of tin cans as packaging. In fact, his packaging has become iconic while respecting his values in terms of sustainable design, as the tin cans are 100% recyclable.

 

I believe that Gaultier’s packaging is so successful because he is able to reach a larger audience with a product that is familiar to everyone such as tin cans. The tin cans have definitely helped the perfume stand out in retail stores but also make the Jean Paul Gaultier seem more accessible to target consumers. Besides with the recognizable designer’s logo, there is an invitation for consumers to keep them as storage or even as keepsakes. With several fragrances and scents, all of the bottles but also all of the packaging have different looks and color schemes, which could incite some to collect them. As for my dad’s packaging I believe he likes the simplicity and the idea that he could easily reuse it if he wanted to.