Brussels, 2 September 2013 High Fashion Meets Packaging in Unique Sappi Exhibit and Campaign
Exquisite Paper Gown to be Showcased at FachPack 2013
In its first appearance at FachPack, Sappi Fine Paper Europe will be making a splash with a unique presentation of its high-end packaging materials. Bringing new meaning to the term “trade dress,” Sappi has created a magnificent paper gown consisting of packages in various forms. The gown, which weighs 15 kg, will be fitted on a display mannequin and shown in Sappi’s stand at FachPack 2013 which is taking place in Nuremberg, Germany, 24-26 September, 2013. Sappi will be located on Stand 604 in Hall 7.
“The concept for this unique gown was created by the Belgian agency Equation with whom we have worked for more than a year,” said Marie-Ange Gérard, Marketing Communications Specialist at Sappi Fine Paper Europe. “We chose the Brussels workshop of artist Isabelle de Borchgrave, universally known for paper garment creations for museums and other entities. The outcome is an exquisite and totally revolutionary demonstration of the quality and flexibility of Sappi packaging materials.”
Equation’s creative director, Marc Weymeers, added, “The special paper know-how of the Sappi group and its capacity to manufacture paper to meet the specific needs of its customers led us to the couture concept and the term ‘tailor made’ emerged throughout our discussions. Since we are in the business of packaging, why not imagine a packaging paper gown? It would be made of paper and board, but its texture would consist of packages in various forms.”
From Trade Show Display to Marketing Campaign The dress, which was constructed using 280 packages and 320 tea bags, was worn by a live model and nearly 500 photos were taken by photographer Xavier Harcq. “His trademark is the attention he pays to shadows and the sublimation of objects,” Weymeers explained. “The white gown against a black background gave him the opportunity to fully exercise his art and the resulting photos are outstanding. Some of these will be used by Sappi in an advertising campaign scheduled to run through Interpack in 2014.” “We create the paper, you model the packaging”
Using white paper delivered a stunning effect but required special attention on hygiene in the de Borchgrave shop. “Our tailors could not wear gloves because they needed the tactile connection with the paper as they were creating the various elements of the gown,” de Borchgrave said. “This resulted in seamstresses washing their hands every 15 minutes to maintain the pristine purity of the creation.” Tea bags were created using 80 g/m² paper and constitute the blouse of the gown. The crinoline was comprised of small boxes made from heavier 160 g/m² paperboard, average size boxes using 270 g/m² paperboard and larger containers using 330 g/m² paperboard. A fabric base was made for the gown and the packages were individually sewn on, arranged like scales. “You really have to see this creation to believe it,” de Borchgrave added. Sappi Quality Sappi provided a range of high quality speciality packaging papers to the de Borchgrave studio for this project, including:
- Algro Design® 330 and 380 g/m², and Algro Design® Duo 270 g/m² and 300 g/m² for the boxes
- Fusion® 180 g/m² for the sleeves, and to fill out the dress to make it fuller
- Leine® Kraft 120 g/m² used as part of the bustier
- Algro® Baress 110 g/m² for the shoes and cuffs
- Algro® Teepack 80 g/m² to construct the tea bags used to finish the bustier
“Visitors to our stand at FachPack 2013 are sure to be impressed by this magnificent gown and the way it displays the flexibility and functionality of Sappi Specialities Papers,” concluded Gérard. “We expect this unusual creation to generate a great deal of buzz for our FachPack debut and to have a significant impact as a central element of our advertising campaign.” More information on Sappi Specialty Papers can be found on:http://www.sappi.com/regions/eu/Products/Specialities/FlexiblePackagingPapers/Pages/default.aspx # # #
