Choosing the right colour can be extremely important when it comes to marketing a company, as colours are often associated with different emotions, values or symbols. These three designer brands successfully used colour to market their items through their iconic boxes.
Tiffany Blue
In 1845, company founder Charles Lewis Tiffany chose the shade of blue now known as Tiffany Blue for the cover of the first catalogue in which Tiffany presented its annual jewellery collection. The robin egg blue struck a chord with the public, perhaps because turquoise was incredibly popular in the 19th century, as it was believed to have talismanic qualities.
See also: Tiffany: The King of Diamonds
Over time, the hue of the Blue Book was used in other areas at Tiffany, most notably for the packaging, leading to the birth of the Tiffany Blue Box. The Tiffany Blue Box soon became the most coveted box in the world. In 1906, the New York Sun reported: "Tiffany has an object in store which you cannot buy, no matter how much money you bid, only he can give it to you. And this is one of his boxes.”
Cartier Red
Red is the colour of love and the colour of Cartier's jewellery boxes. Reminiscent of 18th-century splendour, the octagonal jewellery cases made of Moroccan leather with gold garlands have become synonymous around the world with giving a loved one something special.
See also: History's Most Famous Engagement Rings
The company, founded in Paris in 1847, initially chose cases in black, olive green and pink tones, until the elegant shade of deep red finally prevailed in the 1930s. The interior is either white or black velvet, depending on what better showcases the piece of jewellery inside.
Hermès Orange
The signature shade of luxury leather goods manufacturer Hermès came about in a time that had absolutely nothing to do with glamour: World War II. In 1942 there was a shortage of materials everywhere in Paris, and Hermès also felt compelled to replace the cream colour of its boxes, which had been the norm until then. What was still available was an orange shade and Hermès grabbed it, little knowing that this orange would eventually become synonymous with the brand.
Today, the boxes at Hermès Orange come in 188 different sizes, so that customers can safely bring their newly acquired treasures home in them, from silk scarves to the legendary Birkin bag. Only their furniture has to do without the signature orange, as Hermès admits on its website.
See also: 5 Iconic Handbags and the Women Who Made Them Famous
The boxes from Tiffany, Cartier, and Hermès also play an important role on the auction market. It can make a big difference if an object is offered with or without the original box, especially when it comes to wristwatches. The boxes are also becoming increasingly popular as collector's items on their own and are sometimes auctioned by themselves, an alternative for luxury lovers on a budget.