KAWS and Hennessy Release A Second Cognac Bottle Design Exclusively for Colette.

Hennessy, the cognac house founded in 1765 collaborated with artist Kaws for limited edition "collector" bottle (shown below) which you might have seen on such culture blogs as Hypebeast and Nitrolicious.



Now, a "special" version made specifically for Colette, published in 213 copies exclusively for 213 rue Saint-Honoré.



The Special Kaws X Hennessy bottle for Colette (shown below) will be available at Colette and online starting November 21st. (50€).



Produced and bottled in Cognac, France.

You can use the Hennessy Kaws locator on their facebook page to find the first KAWS Hennessy Cognac Bottle.

Two Beautiful Bottles and Two Short Films For Bottega Veneta's First Fragrance Launch.

Italian brand Bottega Veneta, long known for their stylish and beautifully crafted leather goods, has launched their first women's fragrance with films by Bruce Weber and Christian Weber and with two different but equally beautiful bottle designs; one for the Murano Parfum and the other for the eau de parfum.




The Films:


Captured by Bruce Weber under the artistic direction of Bottega Veneta's Creative Director, Tomas Maier, the first film for the scent features Nine d'Urso, the muse of the fragrance (and Natalie Portman doppelganger):



the print advertisement:


The second short film created for the launch of the brand's new women's fragrance, was made in collaboration with the photographer and director Christian Weber (also under the artistic direction of Tomas Maier and no relation to Bruce Weber).



This film, The Scent (shown below), is a visual journey which tells the story of the fragrance:


The Eau de Parfum:
Bottega Veneta, the eau de parfum, evokes the suppleness and sensuality of the house’s renowned leather goods. The fragrance, a leathery floral chypre, marries the olfactory language of the Venetian countryside—fresh meadows, mown hay, flowers, earth, and wood—with the gentle richness of leather in a creation crafted with the meticulousness of a master artisan.

The Eau de Parfum Bottle:


The Bottega Veneta bottles combine soft, rounded curves and powerful shapes, a smooth outside and an intrecciato texture on the bottom (reminiscent of their well-known leather weave):


The colors on the eau de parfum bottle are signature Bottega Veneta: a brunito cap and collar, an ebano logo and a skin colored leather ribbon clipped with a brunito butterfly:


The bottle itself, inspired by Venetian glasswork and the traditional Italian carafe, designed with an eye for timeless lines and resonant juxtapositions, is in every way a vessel of harmonious simplicity and perfectly balanced contradictions.

The Murano Parfum:
Composed by renowned master perfumer Michel Almairac, the Bottega Veneta fragrance reveals its signature character from the start. The structure of the fragrance is unique, a fine mesh of extraordinary raw materials whose individual scents are woven together to create a supple and harmonious whole.

The Murano Parfum Bottle:



The Murano bottle is a particularly pure expression of the quality and craftsmanship of Bottega Veneta. The flacon, designed by Creative Director Tomas Maier as a vessel for the parfum, is an object of timeless sophistication and contemporary functionality. The bottle is made of exceptionally fine glass hand-blown by artisans of one of the leading glassworks on the island of Murano.

A full line of scented products is now available, including perfumed shower gel and body cream:


Bottega Veneta

Courreges Dresses Up The Latest Limited Edition Evian Bottle.

Evian introduces their annual limited edition bottle design.

Following special editions by LaCroix (2008), Baccarat and Jean-Paul Gaultier (2009), Paul Smith (2010), Issey Miyake (2011), French fashion brand Courrèges, has designed the latest annual limited edition bottle for Evian water.

Courrèges, approaching the eve of its 50-year anniversary, is known for pioneering key trends though the decades, from having discovered pants for women in 1963 to starting the mini-skirt revolution.




The house of Courrèges is driven by the will to free women from the classical conventions of fashion by developing new forms, implementing new materials and using vibrant colors.



The evian bottle by Courrèges, launching globally September 8, features the design house's elegant white and pink emblematic flower (introduced in 1967) on the backdrop of evian’s iconic glass bottle silhouette. Printed with organic ink for the first time, the bottle is composed of 100% recyclable packaging.



To celebrate its launch in conjunction with Fashion’s Night Out, evian will be introducing the bottle at Jeffrey New York and Colette in Paris, where the design will be on display.



The bottle will be available in select restaurants and hotels as of November 2011 and online at shop.evian.us for pre-order.

Talk About Your Premium Spirits. Introducing Frozen Ghost Vodka.

It seems that Crystal Head Vodka is no longer the spookiest premium vodka on the shelves. Launched last October by the Frozen Ghost Distilling Company, Frozen Ghost Vodka is a premium vodka inspired by a ghost story of a character named Tobias. His image is on the unique bottle and the story below tells you of his life and afterlife.







The Legend of the Frozen Ghost



This is a story of people whose names are lost to time, set in a location which is a sworn secret, for reasons that will become clear at the end of this tale.



Generations ago, a family in Western Canada had a proud but small farm. They raised crops and livestock so plentifully, they outproduced all the other farms in the colony. Soon, people began to realize that the spring that watered their land was the sweetest and purest in the area and was thought to be the source of their success.



A jealous neighbor schemed to divert their water to his own property. Stealing onto their land one bitterly cold winter night, he was confronted by the farm’s owner, known only as Tobias. The neighbor struck him with his shovel, knocking him unconscious into a pond near the mouth of the spring. The water thief completed his work, diverting some of the spring’s output to his property by means of the underground channel he dug.



Tobias’s body was later discovered in the ice that froze the pond deep on that frigid winter night.



No one knew how he died. The secret was safe until the neighbor began to report a strange presence of Tobias that haunted his every step. A presence that ultimately drove him mad. He confessed everything as he was driven in a prison cart to the colony’s sanitarium.



The farm has changed hands many times over the centuries, and now that same spring’s water is used to produce Frozen Ghost Vodka. That pure water gives Frozen Ghost its unparalleled smooth, crisp character, even before it is distilled six times for the ultimate purity.



We won’t reveal the spring’s location for your own protection. For on the rare occasions that a visitor has attempted to approach the site, an undeniable chill overtakes the stranger, along with a dark foreboding that a more dangerous fate quickly approaches. It is said that Tobias is still keeping watch over his spring.



So don’t let your curiosity overtake you and tempt you to search for the water’s source. Just be satisfied that you can raise a glass to the one who is watching over the pure taste of Frozen Ghost Vodka, the supernatural super-premium.



The commercial running in theaters:







The Bottle:









Credits: Creative Director: Richard Graves ; Designer/Art Director: Chuck Paris ; Black and white photos: Butch Hale, Dallas, Texas ; Client: Frozen Ghost Distilling Company



The Marketing:

Dallas agency Levenson & Hill invented the legend based on the life—and afterlife—of a character named Tobias. Tobias is featured uniquely on every Frozen Ghost bottle, which was designed by Levenson & Hill and cast by Dekorglass of Dzialdowo, Poland. The bottles are manufactured by Bruni Glass of Milan, Italy.







The marketing launch for Frozen Ghost will include cinema (a still of which is shown above) and other mass advertising, web films, truck paints, promotions and a website for consumers of legal drinking age. The website features a menu of drink recipes, including Frozen Ghost's signature cocktail, "Apparition Chill."



"We believe that we have developed a narrative that will leave consumers haunted by a mystery that only Frozen Ghost Vodka can solve," said Andy Harmon, Chief Brand Officer of Levenson & Hill. "To trigger the imagination of consumers, we plan to unleash the ghost of Tobias, who is key to sparking consideration of Frozen Ghost Vodka. That begins with a top quality liquid and a striking on-shelf presence and is paid off with a campaign that delivers on the brand's ’supernatural-super-premium’ position."







The marketing launch for Frozen Ghost includes outdoor, featuring the phrase "Enjoy it with all 6 senses." POS will grab consumer attention with the phrase, "Grab an extra bottle. This stuff disappears fast." Delivery trucks will be emblazoned with an image of the eye-catching bottle and the phrase, "The supernatural super-premium."



Frozen Ghost Vodka



information courtesy of Frozen Ghost Distilling, special shout out to Incredible Things for bringing this to my attention.

Noble Handcrafted Tonics. Syrups And Vinegars That Taste As Good As They Look.

I was seduced by the packaging of these beautiful maple syrups and vinegar tonics distributed by Seattle-based Mikuni Wild Harvest when I spotted them on GiltTaste.com so I researched them a little further.



According to an article by Janet McCracken for Bon Appetit, the Vancouver based tonics, have been popping up on the menus of chic restaurants and are favored by chefs like Thomas Keller and Mario Batali for their specialty produce.




The Noble Handcrafted Tonics, of which there are five thus far (rumor has it they will be introducing a molasses) are beautifully packaged in attractive glass bottles with cork stoppers, melted wax and labels reminiscent of Knob Creek Whisky.




The elegant package design was created by Graphic Designer and Wedding photographer Heather Nguyen of Vancouver.


Noble Tonic 01 -Tuthilltown Bourbon Barrel Matured Maple Syrup


NOBLE didn't choose just any bourbon to create the subtly spiked edge of Tonic 01. Tuthilltown Spirits is New York's first whiskey distillery since prohibition, distilling some of America's most prized spirits. Their handmade bourbons, produced with locally sourced grain and fruit farmed less than 10 miles away, contain no added flavor or color and are not chill or carbon filtered. Tonic 01, originally sourced from heritage sugar shacks in the ancient maple orchards of Quebec, has a hint of raw bourbon flavor thanks to 6 to 9 months spent in New York State's Tuthilltown Distillery's charred American oak barrels.

Bon Appetit says "Like we said, this is made for candied bacon. I would not say no to some corn johnny cakes with this, either." $20


Noble Tonic 02 - Tahitian Vanilla Bean & Egyptian Chamomile Blossom Matured Maple Syrup


To harness the unmistakable flavor of Tahitian Vanilla and the buttery, apple aroma of Egyptian Chamomile Blossom, the artisans behind NOBLE's Tonic No. 02 infuse maple syrup with the blossoms and vanilla beans. We absolutely love the floral aromas in this maple syrup with toasty corn bread, or as a substitute for brown sugar in cinnamon buns.

Bon Appetit says "This syrup is more delicate, and in order to taste the chamomile and vanilla, I would eat this on some plain greek yogurt or a simple waffle." $20


Noble Tonic 03 - Maple Matured Sherry Bourbon Oak Vinegar


This vinegar's truly unique flavor is developed while aging in bourbon oak barrels at Tuthilltown Distillery in New York State. For 6 to 9 months, NOBLE ages genuine Spanish sherry vinegar in bourbon barrels, received only one day after the bourbon has been drained.

Bon Appetit says "If you mix this with a terrific olive oil, it becomes a dressing for a Spanish salad of greens, marcona almonds, and manchego." $18


Noble Tonic 04 -Pharaoh's Heirloom Lemon Matured White Wine Vinegar


Tonic 04 is a 5-year barrel aged, white wine vinegar infused with organic, heirloom Egyptian lemon peel. The bright, sweet and citrusy flavors are balanced by woody, spicy flavors from NOBLE's barrel aging process at Tuthilltown Distillery in New York State.

Bon Appetit says "I really like the idea of vinegary beverages, like kombucha or Pok Pok's new drinking vinegar, Som, and this is so good that I would mix it with soda water and drink it like that. The lemon flavor is complex and spicy, and brings a unique brightness to the flavor." $20


Noble Tonic 05 - XO Aged Balsamic Vinegar


"XO" signifies refinement and age in the world of Cognac. This extraordinary vinegar is no different. Tonic 05 is a sweet, syrupy refined finishing vinegar. After aging for 3-4 months in New York State's Tuthilltown Distillery's Single Grain Bourbon barrels, the lids are removed and replaced with cheesecloth to allow for evaporation. This unique air aging process concentrates and enhances flavors of bourbon and vanilla.

Bon Appetit says "This splurge is on par with any good balsamic. We like to keep it simple, drizzled over asparagus or vanilla ice cream." $95

Buy them here or at GiltTaste.com if you are a member. If you are not, feel free to use my personal invite link.

photos courtesy of Gilt.com, Mikuni and Heather Nguyen