Hasta La Ideas

Dutch brand agency THEY have commissioned designers including Eindhoven collective La Bolleur (above) and Amsterdam designers Tjep. (below) to design bottles for their own brand of champagne.

Above: Zarb special edition by Tjep
Top: Zarb special edition – Rocket by La Bolleur

Called Zarb, a French colloquialism meaning ‘bizarre’, the brand has a pop-up shop in Amsterdam until January where the bottle designs are on display.

Above: Zarb special edition by Aarsman & Sola

Here’s some more information from THEY:

THEY UNVEIL NEW DESIGNS FOR OWN-BRAND CHAMPAGNE

THEY, the Amsterdam-based communications agency, introduce the latest collection of designer bottles for Zarb, their own-brand champagne. Following the successful launch of the champagne in the Netherlands in 2009, Zarb has also been introduced in Belgium, France, Asia, the United States and beyond.

Above: Zarb special edition – Fire extinguisher

For the new collection, THEY (Ad Age’s Small Agency of the Year 2009) are again working together with international pioneers such as deep sea photographer David Shale, underwater photographer Zena Holloway and renowned costume designer Vin Burnham.

Above: Zarb special edition by Edhv

The new collection was officially launched at the opening of a pop-up store in Amsterdam’s trendy ‘Nine-Streets’ district. Divers surfaced from the canal and delivered the collection to the store, which will be open from 15 December until the beginning of January.

Above: Zarb special edition – Dress

Zarb is a unique combination of traditional champagne with an unconventional look. The brand owes its name to French slang – ‘zarb’ means ‘bizarre’. Following 2009’s Skin Collection with photography by Cornelie Tollens, the new collection Deep Black: The Underwater Exploration has taken the wonders of the underwater world as its inspiration.

Above: Zarb special edition by Miktor & Molf

The first new bottle in the collection is a journey through the eyes of deep sea photographer David Shale. He has taken pictures down to depths of 5000 metres in order to show us a marvellous world that we have never seen before.

Above: Zarb special edition – Life by Cedric Laquieze

Zarb designed the bottle as an adventure into the unknown, modelled on the magnificent creatures of the deep.

Above: Zarb special edition by Cedric Laquieze

For the second bottle, we swim from the depths up to the surface, where angelic mermaids can be found. Zarb’s design was brought to life by photos from London-based underwater photographer and director Zena Holloway.

Above: Zarb special edition – Fragile

She has previously worked for famous names such as Vogue, Nike and Mastercard and has also won several international awards.

Above: Zarb special edition – Feathers

In addition to the three new designs, selected artists and designers have been commissioned to create special edition magnums.

Above: Zarb new collection – Octopus by David Shale

The costume / product / brand / packaging designers include

• Tjep
• EDHV
• La Bolleur
• Champagne Valentine
• Crabsalad
• Miktor & Molf
• Cedric Laquieze Deux d’Amsterdam
• Hans Aarsman & Claudia Sola Nepco
• Pinky & Lennart Hansje van Halem

Above: Zarb new collection – Angel by Zena Holloway

Zarb is made in the Marne valley using grapes from the vineyards of the Baron family. Zarb is a modern champagne with an elegant bouquet with notes of apple, peach and pear.

Above: Zarb new collection – Surface by Zena Holloway and Vin Burnham

The palette is balanced with aromas of wine and fruit, carried by a perfect structure. Zarb champagne is owned by THEY and stands on its own as a business in its own right.

THEY are a group of nice people in Amsterdam who form an international communications agency. THEY love to make brands grow. Some of the clients THEY work with are AEGoN, Vodafone, CoffeeCompany en Max Havelaar

THEY challenge anybody to a game of ping pong.

See also:

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Black Box by Marc Newson for Dom Pérignon	Water-shaped bottles by Xiaoli Wen	Waater bottle by Tjep