PCD Innovation Awards Spotlight | VALENTINO SPIKE REFILLABLE LIPSTICK

March 3, 2025

In December 2024, our prestigious jury, composed of brands such as Chanel, Dior, PUIG, Interparfums, and many others, gathered to judge the entries for the PCD Innovation Awards. The winners of the PCD Innovation Awards 2025 were announced, celebrated, and honoured at PCD Paris, as part of Paris Packaging Week in January 2025.

Make-up – Premium & Mass Market

Please describe the brief for the pack. What were the objectives for the innovation project? What were the requirements and constraints?

Valentino is a luxury brand whose essence combines extravagance with elegance. They didn’t want to launch a simple lipstick but rather a real statement! This new ultra-luxe, ultra-refined refillable lipstick is composed of a bed of studs, symbol of the city of Rome and the House of Valentino. The idea was to have a cool touch, a “remarkable” grip and a magnetic closure. The brand also wanted a “beautiful refill” with an aluminium shell hiding the technical parts of the mechanism, unusable by the consumer without the parent product.

How did the pack fulfil the brief?

This refillable lipstick exceeds all expectations, thanks to our partner AXILONE, who successfully took on the challenge of embossing 132 studs on all four sides of the case with remarkable precision. The choice of aluminium gives it an addictive cool touch and a luxurious feel that aligns perfectly with Maison Valentino’s standards.

Crafting this unique shape requires expert mastery of aluminium processing techniques, including stamping, embossing, polishing, and anodising. Thanks to meticulous adjustments, the aluminium also delivers a satisfyingly crisp closing click.

Together, these elements make this refillable case a true technical marvel.

Why do you believe this pack deserves to win an Innovation Award?

This lipstick stands out with its unique packaging, featuring a striking shape that is both extravagant and elegant, adorned with Valentino’s iconic studs. Meeting the expected standards of excellence posed significant technical challenges, but AXILONE rose to the occasion, pushing the limits of its expertise to bring this vision to life.

SPIKE VALENTINO deserves to win this award as a testament to AXILONE’s exceptional craftsmanship and commitment to excellence. The flawless execution of this refillable lipstick not only meets environmental and industrial challenges but also delivers an incredible perceived value for the consumer, making this lipstick a true technical marvel.