Danylo Ilchakov’s packaging for 4 RE® defies all expectations of what a beauty product can look like

4  RE® is an emerging startup focused on premium CBD-infused cosmetics. Made for a generation under constant stress, the brand hides hints of the potential of its products in its name. The ‘RE’ subtly nods at the essence of its range, creating ‘4  RE® BORN, 4  RE® NEWAL, 4  RE® STORE.” The number ‘4’ replaces ‘for’ – inspired by internet slang – speaking directly to the brand’s target audience’s digital culture. To bring its cosmetics into the world, 4  RE® needed an identity and packaging design that would mirror its intention in formulating its products, which blend ancestral knowledge with modern innovation. This meeting of two worlds – of history, heritage and modern science and technology – needed to be distilled into every facet of the brand, and so it called on designer Danylo Ilchakov to flex his creative chops. For Ilchakov, it was important to break away from expected notions of what a luxury beauty product should or can look like, and he instead drew upon the idea of metamodernism. “One of the core characteristics of metamodernism – which refers to a cultural discourse that has emerged in the aftermath of postmodernism – is the oscillation between contrasting ideas,” he tells us. This conversation between contrasts had to be imbued in the design. “The challenge was not just to create visual contrast (like the juxtaposition of geometric shapes such as a square and a circle) but also to evoke a deeper, more semantic contrast,” says Ilchakov. For example, the outer packaging, made of mycelium, takes the shape of a stone, “symbolising the natural world, rawness, and organic beginnings.” Inside, it holds a brutalist metal cylinder and a striking yellow refill, “which together evoke an industrial, utilitarian aesthetic, reflecting technology and human progress. Thus, the packaging design oscillates between these two contrasting worlds – nature and industry – yet remains coherent and self-sufficient in its visual language,” he explains. With a commitment to grow within the circular economy, sustainability was important for the brand, and this informed the choice of materials, resulting in 100% sustainable packaging, combining mycelium, aluminium and PCR (post-consumer recycled) plastic.