Introduction & Brief

In 2012, Nicky Clarke Salons—one of the most renowned names in hairdressing—approached Amey & Co with a clear goal: to refresh and elevate their care and styling product range. The request was rooted in a desire to capture the brand’s rich heritage while appealing to a more affluent, luxury market. Nicky Clarke Salons sought a design that reflected the success of its past but also moved the brand into a new era of premium positioning.

Key Objectives

1. Retain and Celebrate Brand Heritage: Ensure the new design echoed the brand’s success and long-standing reputation.
2. Premium Aesthetic: Appeal to higher earners and the luxury segment.
3. Material Innovation: Introduce high-end materials and finishes that set the range apart.

---

Challenges

1. Maintaining Brand Consistency: With a strong legacy behind the Nicky Clarke name, the packaging needed to nod to its heritage without feeling dated.
2. Balancing Premium and Practical: Packaging had to stand out on shelves but also be user-friendly for everyday salon and consumer use.
3. Material Selection: Finding the perfect blend of materials that were luxurious, durable, and capable of hosting intricate design elements.

---

Approach & Strategy

1. Brand Immersion

Amey & Co began by analyzing Nicky Clarke’s existing product lines, salon environments, and brand ethos. Workshops and interviews with key stakeholders helped clarify the heritage elements that were crucial to retain, including the brand’s hallmark sophistication and sleek styling cues.

2. Creative Exploration

With insights in place, the team moved into a conceptual phase:

• Mood Boards: Presented diverse luxury packaging inspirations, focusing on brushed metals and refined color palettes.
• Material R&D: Investigated various finishes and printing techniques to align with the premium feel, weighing considerations like durability and cost-effectiveness.

3. Design Development

A series of prototypes were created to gauge the feasibility of using metal-based packaging. Amey & Co tested multiple combinations of:

• Brushed Aluminium: Chosen for its balance of sturdiness and sophistication.
• Gold Foil Printing: Elevated the brand’s logo and text, adding a luxurious yet timeless appeal.

Throughout this process, Amey & Co collaborated closely with manufacturing partners to ensure quality control and scalability for production.

---

Deliverables

1. Packaging Design Concepts
   • Several design proposals featuring brushed aluminium components and gold foil details.
   • Variation in colorways and branding placements to highlight potential product line expansions.
2. Production-Ready Artwork
   • Finalized high-resolution designs ready for print and manufacturing.
   • Detailed technical specifications including Pantone references, printing methods, and foil parameters.
3. Material & Finish Guidelines
   • Documentation outlining best practices for handling brushed aluminium and gold foil application, ensuring brand consistency across multiple product SKUs.
4. Brand Style Guide
   • Comprehensive guidelines for logo usage, typography, color palettes, and application processes, ensuring the redesigned look remained uniform across all marketing collateral.

---

Outcome & Impact

By carefully merging the timeless glamour of brushed aluminium with intricate gold foil accents, Amey & Co achieved a packaging design that exuded elegance, aligned with Nicky Clarke’s heritage, and appealed to luxury-conscious consumers. The resulting product range stood out in a crowded market, reinforcing the salon’s position at the premium end of the spectrum.

Key Results:

• Enhanced Premium Perception: The high-quality materials and finishes contributed to a stronger, more exclusive brand image.
• Sales & Market Interest: Early feedback from both salon clients and retailers was overwhelmingly positive, indicating a surge in consumer interest.
• Brand Consistency: Despite the modern update, the final design successfully balanced Nicky Clarke’s storied past with a forward-looking vision.

---

Conclusion

Nicky Clarke Salons’ collaboration with Amey & Co in 2012 highlights the importance of thoughtful design and strategic material selection in premium product packaging. By leveraging brushed aluminium and gold foil printing, Amey & Co created an iconic new generation of hair care and styling products that commanded attention in the luxury market, reinforcing Nicky Clarke’s reputation for excellence.

Through a diligent process—starting from brand immersion to detailed prototyping—Amey & Co delivered a solution that set Nicky Clarke Salons apart. The result was a cohesive, premium, and memorable product line that resonated deeply with high-end consumers and upheld the legacy of the Nicky Clarke brand.