Webb Scarlett deVlam Helps HUGO BOSS Enter Category With a Strong Presence

Key elements of masculinity and functionality make the brand new HUGO BOSS SKIN line stand strong in any environment.

When Procter & Gamble Prestige Products decided to extend the HUGO BOSS brand into men's skin care at Bloomingdale's stores, they asked the Webb Scarlett deVlam firm to help them design packages that were sleek and masculine. The keepers of the HUGO BOSS brand sought packaging that would firmly establish the brand in a new category, starting with the BOSS SKIN sub-brand of eight high-performance products.

In close collaboration with HUGO BOSS, Webb Scarlett deVlam created the brand identity, provided naming advice, and developed all the packaging elements of the new global BOSS SKIN brand: the iconic primary packages, graphics, and cartons. The idea was to complement the existing HUGO BOSS brand by bringing a rugged sophistication to the category in aesthetic design, sturdy construction, and packaging performance.

Formulating functionality

Because men's skin is different than women's, HUGO BOSS formulated scientifically sound products with high-quality ingredients. They also developed the products with an eye toward making them dispense well and dispense neatly. The BOSS SKIN packaging takes that to the next level through sturdy construction and customized dispensers that include no-drip valves, high-performance pumps, and twist-lock caps.

"Performance is quite important for men," says Felix Scarlett, partner at Webb Scarlett deVlam. Scarlett says the SKIN packages have a "robust functionality" that appeals to active men especially. The firm designed all the packages so they could be attractive enough to leave out and functionally sound enough to throw into the bottom of a gym bag.

The custom-designed metallic dispensers are self-contained, without flip-up caps, and they snap into place when twisting open or locking closed, which provides added confidence to the user. Scarlett emphasizes that HUGO BOSS was truly committed to making a bold, masculine statement for their brand by committing to the highest quality consumer experience. "Quality should come across in the ease of the packaging," says Scarlett.

German engineering and style

Marco Parsiegla, global marketing director for BOSS SKIN, says, "Webb Scarlett deVlam has designed an iconic 'hero pack' that confidently communicates the values of HUGO BOSS to BOSS Men." The company found inspiration for the brand design in the design philosophies found in the best German automotive engineering, matching finely machined components with sleek materials and textures.

"The cool, metallic grey-blue gives BOSS SKIN a fresh, clean look, while the solid, brushed steel gives the pack an unapologetically masculine feel that is at the heart of the brand," says Scarlett. The textures and colors of the primary packaging remain remarkably consistent across the eight products in the line. Scarlett emphasizes how easily inconsistency can undermine a brand and was glad that HUGO BOSS was committed to sweating every detail with countless sample runs and print trials.

Scarlett believes that the masculine colors, the firmly rooted design architecture, the strong SKIN name, and the packages' highly engineered qualities—both real and perceived—set a tone that serves as a great foundation as the HUGO BOSS brand grows into the future. "Simplicity fits well with the purpose of the brand," Scarlett concludes.