How do you create a range of bath and body products?

In our case it took an iconic brand (ours!), unique bottle design and branding (from Conran Studio), bespoke fragrances (from leading international fragrance house drom) and fabulous top-of-the-shop formulations, development and manufacturing know-how (from the highly experienced team at Kokomo Studio) to create our brand new Conran Bath & Body range which went on sale this month.

Not only did our range have to smell and feel good but it also had to look great too; we wanted to create something we would be proud to have on display, bottles that are beautiful objects in their own right.

Our range is inspired by the feel and forms of quintessential Kilner jars and old apothecary bottles. Robust – and elegant. The bottles look super smart and feel heavy and generous in your hand.

Will Unwin from Conran Studio working on the bottle design

An early idea for the range...

Some samples of the fragrances in spray and lotion form

One of the best jobs was choosing which scents we were going to use – what does Conran smell like ? (no answers on postcards please!). 

Fragrance testing has to be one of the most fun and fascinating ways to spend an hour’s meeting  – and also leaves the meeting room thoroughly fragrant for the next lucky user.

Did you know in order to ‘clear your nose’ when trialling lots of different fragrances that you should smell the inside of your elbow?! So the pros tell us….

The different associations people have for smells and the sensations they can evoke in people are amazing. One opinion on an early scent idea ricocheted from ‘it reminds me of going shopping when I was a kid…’ to ‘it smells like the inside of a lovely old antique wardrobe’.

All the development team liked the scents well enough (derived from fresh green steams and and oudh wood) but what did other people think? We thought we would see what the rest of the Conran building had to say about it!

Katherine from reception having a sniff...

Some buyers from The Conran Shop discussing the scents

As always with any product range once the first lot are out on the shelves it’s time to start developing the next lot. This time we are looking at introducing an element of citrus and possibly a more floral note – and maybe even a little snap of aniseed. We’ll keep you posted.

 The first two Conran bath and body ranges ‘1’ and ‘2’ are out now. 

Available online at The Conran Shop. Starting at £12.

The Man Who Transformed The Way We Live

Wandering around London it’s not often you see your boss’s name in lights – unless, that is, you happen to work for the man credited for changing the way we live. 

Last night Terence’s exhibition –  The Way We Live Now – opened at The Design Museum – and what a treat we had in store.

From the beauty, variety, inginuity and workmanship of the pieces themselves to the quirky, exclusive typography (done by our very own Conran Studio) and show design (ref: Conran & Partners Interior Design team) the show is a triumph. Well, we would say that wouldn’t we?! But don’t just take our word for it – it’s already got some rave reviews:

Check out Terence talking to Mark Lawson on Radio 4’s Front Row – listen here on iPlayer

A wonderful video here from The Guardian about Terence transforming Britain’s High Streets…

Here from The Express – The Man Who Transformed The Way We Live

..and that really is just for starters…more in the next couple of days – very exciting!

 Go and see for yourselves! – it’s on until 4th March 2012. Details here.

Even the room's turned Conran Blue...

Pioneering a sophisticated, civilised lifestyle

This weekend’s Culture Show on BBC2 saw Alan Yentob sharing a sofa with Terence and discussing transforming Britain in the ’50s,  pioneering a sophisticated, civilised lifestyle and his being the man who enticed an entire generation into understanding design.

Especially worth it for the colour footage of the Festival of Britain and Yentob’s green screen moments cunningly enabling him to stumble across a covorting ’60s couple enjoying Terence’s newly retailing duvet and hanging out cross-legged on a lounge-lizard style sofa – pages literally straight out of the original habitat catalogue. 

Watch it here on BBC iPlayer from 37.00 – 44.40

Out and about in London: Craft, Contemporary Design and Art Deco Architecture

Alana Madden from Conran Contracts checks out some exhibitions perfect for those hungry for beautiful design, iconic imagery and exquisite craftsmanship – go see them now!

Still showing at Gallery Fumi until 30th November is STUDIOWARE,  an exhibition of; sculptural works by Studio Glithero, ceramics by Johannes Nagel and furniture by Max Lamb. 

The form of Max Lamb’s collection is dictated by struts of dowling in typical English woods, making an unassuming minimal reference to traditional pieces of a similar ilk. These pieces provide the extremely satisfying marriage of both expert craft and contemporary design.

Few better locations could be found than the posturing Art Deco RIBA building to exhibit a selection of vintage photos displaying the best of British Art Deco Architecture.  Puttin’ on the Glitz: The Golden Years of Art Deco Architecture in Britain is a collection of black & white photographs from the RIBA archives carefully chosen to present the reach of this movement to the general domain, which at the time was itself often sneered at as the corruption of modernism. See vintage images of a variety of public buildings, jazz halls and famous cinema’s scattered throughout the breadth of Britain. Beautifully adorned interiors and exteriors, and none without the periods unmistakable brightness and glamour it’s enough to make you yearn for something to get dressed up for. It’s on until 26th November.

RIBA H.Q.