Innovation Awards spotlight | Johnnie Walker x Olivier Rousteing – Couture Expression
In December 2025, our prestigious jury — featuring leading names including Bacardi, Moët Hennessy, Pernod Ricard, Rémy Cointreau, and many more – came together to evaluate the entries for the PLD Innovation Awards. The winners were then unveiled, celebrated, and honoured at the inaugural Innovation Awards Gala, held on the eve of Paris Packaging Week 2026.
The brief was to create a fashion-inspired limited edition for Johnnie Walker Vault, blending haute couture artistry with whisky craftsmanship through a collaboration with Olivier Rousteing. The ambition was to translate Rousteing’s bold creative vision into a sculptural design, positioning Couture Expression as a new benchmark in luxury.
The final result had to be a true collector’s object, embodying rarity, innovation and storytelling. The design features Baccarat crystal decanters in four distinct colour editions – rose gold, silver, gold and metallic black – each representing a season. This concept required a refined interplay between metal drapery and crystal glass, executed with exceptional precision and craftsmanship.
Produced in very limited quantities, the collection ensures absolute exclusivity while meeting the highest aesthetic, technical and logistical standards expected of a luxury collector’s piece.
How did the pack fulfil the brief?
The design brings together the art of whisky blending and haute couture, born from a creative dialogue between Olivier Rousteing and Johnnie Walker’s Master Blender, Dr Emma Walker. Each hand-blown Baccarat decanter is encased in a bespoke metallic sculpture, reflecting the rhythm of fashion seasons: Spring (rose gold), Summer (silver), Autumn (gold) and Winter (black).
This fusion of artistry and engineering achieves remarkable precision, combining hand-sculpted metal over crystal, tight tolerance control and a winged stopper symbolising Johnnie Walker’s “Keep Walking” spirit.
The presentation box, lined with metal and suede, elevates the unboxing into a true ritual of discovery. The project successfully overcame complex challenges, including ensuring perfect cohesion between materials, achieving visual harmony across four finishes and delivering flawless artisanal execution within the constraints of an ultra-limited production.
Why do you believe this pack deserves to win an Innovation Award?
Couture Expression transcends traditional luxury packaging by merging the precision of whisky craftsmanship with the artistry of couture design. It captures movement, emotion and material mastery in a collectible object that redefines innovation in the world of spirits.
Who did you work with on this project?
-Brand : Johnnie Walker, provided creative direction and blending expertise through its Vault platform, symbolising a new chapter in luxury innovation.
-Designer : Olivier Rousteing, conceptualised the packaging design, integrating fashion elements.
-Packaging Manufacturer : Baccarat, crafted the crystal decanters with exceptional precision and artisanal mastery
