Lancôme launches French Touch Absolu lipstick in 50s retro packaging

Lancôme's iconic, engraved, all-metal lipstick design -- so popular in the 1950s -- is now available to consumers again, with the launch of French Touch Absolu this Fall.

Featuring packaging by Rexam's Personal Care Division, this lipstick is part of "French Coquettes" collection designed by Aaron De May, Artistic Director.

The seasonal launch evokes the sensibility of the Lancôme Versailles lipstick first introduced in 1949 -- also created by Rexam -- which sought to capture the aesthetic and sense of independence that transformed Parisian women in the era from the Belle Époque to the Roaring Twenties. Back then, the most desirable lipsticks were encased in precious metal crafted by artisan jewelers.

Lancôme's decision to revive the exacting design of this classic lipstick pack, yet created a technological challenge that required exacting detail regarding selection of materials, engraving, silkscreening and more -- all on an extremely tight production schedule for this seasonal launch.

French Touch Absolu's bold design is highlighted by its engraved lattice design, evocative of the confident, metallic lines of the Eiffel Tower, yet with the delicacy of the finest piece of jewelry. Like the iconic lipsticks of the early 20th Century, the Lancôme revival is all metal. The cap is a two-piece weighted design, engraved to include the Lancôme logo and trademark rose.

"Engraving and silk-screening had to match perfectly," said Carole Grassi, Cosmetics Category Manager for Rexam Personal Care. "Precise engraving was done first on all the height of the cap, then a specific polishing to have a shiny finish without damaging the engraving before anodising, and a finishing solution combining silver silk screening and tampoprinting, with precise shape-matching."

The inner cap is crafted of maillechort, the silvery alloy of copper, nickel and zinc first developed in France in the early nineteenth century -- selected for its weight, look and durability.

"The result is sophisticated, elegant, feminine and as bold as the women who first used such lipsticks in the early part of the 20th century. We are pleased to have provided the technical and sales support needed to create this artistic and technological packaging solution."

Source: Rexam