«Packaging Première & PCD Milan is more than a simple event, it is an immersive experience»
What synergies are created by celebrating the two events together, Packaging Première and PCD Milan?
Milan is the heart of the Italian fashion industry as well as the beauty business. We want to give cosmetics and perfumery brands, which represent an important part of our community, the opportunity to discover in one place everything they need to make their brand and products stand out. At Packaging Première & PCD Milan you will find both high-end secondary packaging and a selection of primary packaging solutions, with a strong focus on quality and sustainability. Here beauty brands can identify the best partners to create stunning, sustainable, high-quality packaging for their products.
What does each of them specialize in?
Packaging Première is the first event in Italy focused on luxury packaging. Its exhibitors are a selected range of packaging suppliers offering high-end solutions for the luxury, fashion, cosmetics, wine, food and jewelery sectors. Packaging Première offers an overview of different printing materials and techniques, ecological and innovative packaging, including paper (cardboard, finishes, shopping bags, cases), labels, ribbons, wood, printing plates, foils, inks, coatings and adhesives, to name a few. PCD Milan is a beauty center that showcases primary packaging solutions for the cosmetics, perfumery and personal care sectors. Here beauty brands will find glass, bottles, lids, seals, jars and more in different materials with a strong focus on sustainability.
What differentiates you from other packaging fairs held in Europe?
Packaging Première & PCD Milan stands out for a combination of elements that make it a truly exceptional event. First of all, Milan is a strategic and easily accessible location for brands and professionals. The city is renowned for its innovation and style, making it the perfect setting to showcase high-end packaging solutions. Secondly, Packaging Première & PCD Milan is a selective event whose goal is to represent only the highest quality in packaging solutions. Packaging Première & PCD Milan is more than just an event, it is an immersive experience designed to fascinate, inspire and offer a variety of initiatives such as workshops and talks, as well as networking opportunities. We strive to make each edition memorable and valuable for our attendees.
How many exhibitors have already been confirmed? What countries do they come from?
More than 300, from Italy, France, Germany, the United Kingdom, China, Hong Kong, Bulgaria, Finland, Hungary and the Netherlands.
What forecast do you have in terms of visitors?
Last year we grew 34% in the number of visitors. This year we hope to attract more than 8.300 visitors: brands, designers, art directors, purchasing managers, marketing managers looking for innovative packaging solutions, sustainable materials, original designs and inspiration to create unique packaging projects. We also expect an increase in international visitors, especially from Spain and German-speaking countries. Packaging Première & PCD Milan is becoming the reference point for luxury and beauty brands from all over Europe.
What will you find at Packaging Première & PCD Milan?
Edition after edition we implement collateral projects that cover a wide range of topics and interests, in addition to the latest innovations and trends in the packaging sector. For the next edition we have organized more than 25 conferences with brands and experts from all over the world, such as Dom Pérignon, Bally, Pantone, Garnier and more. The Avant Garde area will show the most innovative packaging projects of the year. The Design Hub is where four of the best wine and spirits packaging design agencies will present their cutting-edge packaging design projects. In addition, there will be special exhibitions such as GINnasium (a gin packaging exhibition based on a neuromarketing study), Paper Posh (futuristic shopping bags created with AI by artists Andrea Filippi and Gabriele Moschin) and the Materially Material Library (which presents the most innovative products and sustainable materials for packaging).
Why will the 2024 edition be an immersive and interactive experience?
Since its first edition, Packaging Première & PCD Milan has been characterized not only by its innovation and excellence in the packaging sector, but also by its original approach: each year it entrusts the creation of the visual image to a different artist, highlighting the connection between art, design and packaging. The Packaging Première & PCD Milan 2024 edition will focus on digital art.
Artist Vincenzo Marsiglia, known for his iconic four-pointed star, which dates back to geometric abstraction, minimalism and optical art, has developed an immersive, multi-sensory experience that will greet event visitors with optical effects on the notes of the electronic and experimental music of Ocrasunset. Meanwhile, a fragrance created exclusively for the event spreads throughout the space. The sensory journey ends with the creation of a gourmet dessert by pastry chef Gianluca Fusto inspired by the fragrance. The texture of the paper and the finish of the printed event guide complete the multi-sensory experience that involves touch.
From the content program, what presentations and speakers stand out?
The conference program will focus on future trends in the packaging and luxury sector. Among them, sustainability and technology, innovative materials and design stand out. Internationally renowned guests, including Soizic Allain (Dom Pérignon), Gian Giacomo Costa (Garnier), Francesco Tomasello (Pantone), Laura Ravetta (Bally), Charles van Reij (Cradle to Cradle), Chris Egger (Portofino Dry Gin), Jungwon Heo (Amorepacific), to name a few.
Why is your objective “to promote packaging culture”?
The packaging industry is moving towards making packaging not just a container but a product in itself. Packaging is the first thing you see of a product, which is why a perfect container is capable of transmitting the brand's values, the quality of the product... it is a powerful tool for telling stories. The culture of packaging not only includes functionality but also the brand's commitment to sustainability, values and vision, history, innovation... We want to make our event more than a showcase, an opportunity to discover the latest trends in the market, new technologies and materials, cutting-edge designs and everything that is happening in the packaging industry, bringing the best brands and experts to the stage to share their experience.
What can visitors see in the Avant Garde and Design Hub areas?
Avant Garde offers an in-depth look at the most innovative solutions in the packaging sector in terms of sustainability, design and innovative materials, developed by exhibitors and design agencies. The projects were evaluated by a jury of experts and selected to be exhibited in a dedicated area. Winners will be announced during an awards ceremony on May 23 in the conference room. The Design Hub is an excellent opportunity to experience excellence in packaging design. Four top-level agencies specialized in packaging design for wines and spirits (Advision, BasileADV, Officina Grafica and O,nice! Design Studio) will present their projects, providing a valuable source of inspiration in terms of branding and packaging.
Taking into account that Packaging Première & PCD Milan shows innovation in packaging, what are the main trends in luxury packaging?
Sustainability and eco-conscious design are a priority and the main challenge for brands is to combine sustainable solutions and materials with avant-garde design. The future of packaging involves the use of technologies such as AI, 3D printing, innovative materials... with the objectives of reflecting the brand's values and providing an unforgettable experience to customers.
