YOPE products are distinguished by their original design. The cosmetics are sold in carefully designed bottles, and their fronts are decorated with thoughtful graphics. How did it come about that nice illustrations of animals appeared on soaps or lotions? Who is behind their designs? Karolina Kuklińska-Kosowicz, founder of the brand, told us about the visual part at the heart of YOPE.
Karolina Kuklińska-Kosowicz founded the YOPE brand together with her husband Paweł. She wanted the products to stand out from others available on the market, to speak their own language, to have an original DNA. These desires have been realised. YOPE products are not only eye-catching, they are also environmentally friendly. The composition of the cosmetics is more than 95 per cent natural and vegan. Formulas rich in natural active ingredients are developed by the internal R&D department using the latest trends in cosmetics.
Kamil Białas: When thinking about setting up the brand and launching new products, what role did the packaging play? What were they supposed to look like?
Karolina Kuklińska-Kosowicz: We wanted YOPE products to stand out on shop shelves, to be original, to break the mould. We did not want to duplicate what already existed. The packaging had to be interesting, to evoke feelings. So that when customers look at YOPE products, they feel positive emotions towards them. The appearance of the bottles, the design of the labels and, last but not least, the fragrance, help to achieve this. The sum of it all is important.
A drawing with an animal motif also helps to create the right impression. How did you get the idea of a bird or panther on the label?
There was a time when we wondered whether introducing an animal motif would be too controversial. We were concerned that such drawings might give the wrong message that these were animal products. Nevertheless, we decided to enter the market with such labels, we wanted to break the pattern and see for ourselves how we would perceive such a designed product. Ultimately, we felt that such labels are nice and pleasant, evoke emotions and cause interaction with humans.
Who decides what the label of a new hand soap or lotion will look like? Who is behind your designs?
This is an interesting question because it answers other questions: what is YOPE? Who are we at YOPE? How important is relationship building to us? Since the very beginning, the labels have been designed by the same person. It is my friend Paweł Przybył. The fact that he still works with us today shows what YOPE is like and how we build relationships with people, how important it is for us to look at the world creatively. It is thanks to his openness and creative outlook that we were able to find a common language with Paweł. However, the beginnings of our collaboration were by no means easy. Paweł is insanely talented and consistent in what he does. The first labels took quite a long time to create. There were times when he prepared up to 50 concepts.
With flowers, modern geometric motifs, references to natural composition…. until finally Paul created an original design where an animal appeared on the label. I felt that this was it! Today, after 10 years of running the company, I know what elements should appear on labels, what they should look like, but still, the most important thing is the idea and creativity. The animals were a great idea, they stirred my emotions.
Do you follow a developed key when designing your labels? Or can each cosmetics line be a new story?
Marketing rules say to stick to certain patterns. However, with us it is different. Each design has to be approved by me, but my openness to creative ideas makes me quite brave to allow changes. The classic series of our products is decorated with a drawing of an animal by Paul. Other series that I have introduced already look different. Examples are the Creamy line, Skin Progress or the hair care line. The latter is divided into a classic one with an animal motif and a second , more modern one, where the label is minimalistic and slightly glossy. This is a more expert series, with different ingredients and more advanced formulations. At a certain stage of YOPE’s development, I thought it worth separating these lines and differentiating them visually as well.
In 2023, you showed the décor of the new office in the HOP building in Warsaw. I have the impression that you have perfectly reflected the DNA of the brand. The roundness, the ‘cloud-like’ shapes… What do you like most about this realisation?
By furnishing the new office we were able to express ourselves creatively. When you furnish a flat or a house, functionality comes first, to create a space that doesn’t tire you, that is very practical and stimulates creativity. And in our office we were able to indulge in an explosion of freshness and originality. Our previous office was in a villa in Mokotow. It was an old building, and in moving to a new place, I felt the desire to unload the energy, I wanted to show what was in my head and what YOPE was. I didn’t set any limits in the arrangement. Our main slogan is ‘naturally unusual’ and we materialised this slogan in a naturally unusual way. The new YOPE office is a mixture of colours, materials, different structures. It is an eclectic kaleidoscope. Each room tells a different story. Already in the entrance area, visitors are greeted by a reception desk decorated with wavy tiles that allude to a drop of water. The guiding colour in the office is brown, which in turn is a reference to the first YOPE bottles. In the interior there are a lot of mirrors that speak of corporeality, there are motifs of waves, sea foam…. You won’t find right angles in our office, everything flows.
The conference room, which you enter thinking you’re in a bathroom, is interesting because we’ve placed a platform with a bathtub in the central part of it. There’s our story in that too. The whole office is the story of what YOPE is about.
The office looks like a big showroom. Who is the author of the design?
The interior was designed by Ania Łoskiewicz. She is a very creative person, open to ideas. When I asked her what she thought about decorating the conference room with tiles, she thought it was a great idea! In design work, Ania has no limits, she doesn’t stick to patterns. She was able to realise my vision.
You are a graduate of the Academy of Fine Arts in Łódź. What influence did your studies have on your aesthetic sensibility?
I studied fashion design. Before that I went to a regular general high school, so studying in Lodz gave me a lot of opportunities, allowed me to be part of the artistic world and opened up a range of creative activities. I loved drawing, painting, sculpture, design…. I felt like a fish in water, I was soaking up the whole world.
And the professional experience?
Working as a stylist allowed me to create this world. Working as a stylist gave me the opportunity to tell stories, to have an influence on how the photos would look, which models would appear in the frame, what they would wear and how the set would be prepared. In a time without social media and the ubiquitous internet, this kind of work allowed me to experience and explore. I was hugely impressed by the opportunity to go to fashion shows, whether it was my then guru John Galliano or CHANEL. For a girl from a small town, that was something!
And privately, what does Karolina Kuklinska-Kosowicz like to surround herself with? What does the house in Andalusia, where you live now, look like? Why did you choose this particular place in Spain?
It’s not a typical Spanish house. It’s a modernist building. It’s white, I have a view of the garden through the huge windows. It’s very green all around. When I was looking for a new home, I wanted to find a good base, a space with white walls and a clean floor that I would decorate gradually. I like warm and nice interiors. Admittedly, I like old Andalusian houses very much, but I couldn’t live in one. I’m not such a traditionalist (laughs!).We live near Cadiz, it’s one of the oldest cities in Europe and an example of the real Spain. A region with a rich history. Everything is authentic here. I chose Andalusia because of its proximity to the ocean and its rich greenery. I love to relax in such a setting.
source: editorial
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