Don’t call Dolly Parton’s new fragrance pink.

“Dolly has a color that she’s created, that she calls pinch, P-I-N-C-H—and it’s the most perfect combination of pink and peach,” reveals Jon Dinapoli, founder, Jon Michael Design, to Beauty Packaging Magazine’s editor-in-chief Jamie Matusow in our exclusive video interview below.

Dinapoli spoke to Matusow about designing the bottle and packaging for Parton’s first-ever fragrance—and the experience of working with the iconic star. 

Dolly Scent from Above will launch by summer 2021 in collaboration with Scent Beauty.

“It was fun to hear that from her,” Dinapoli says, as he explains how he worked with Parton to develop the new color for the bottle. The juice is also tinted in ‘Pinch.’  

Read on for more details—or scroll down to watch the video interview

How Do We ‘Bottle’ Dolly?

“She’s an American treasure,” Dinapoli says, describing Parton. And that’s not an understatement, considering she donated $1 million to coronavirus vaccine research that supported the development of the Moderna vaccine.

Dinapoli remarks, “When this project came to me—and I’m so lucky that I keep getting these projects—Steve Mormoris called to ask if I’d be interested and of course my answer was YES a million times!”

Dinapoli says he first reviewed the design brief with his team, and thought:

“How do we bottle up Dolly? How do we bring Dolly Parton to life in a fragrance?”

Dinapoli says he was fortunate to work closely with Parton and her creative director Steve Summers. After lots of research, a butterfly was chosen to represent the brand.

“Within her brand, the butterfly is very symbolic,” Dinapoli tells Matusow. “Dolly uses it for pretty much everything she does, from her music to her Dollywood logo.” (Side note: Parton appears on stage at Dollywood as a hologram—before turning into a butterfly and flying away.)   

A Sneak Peek at the Bottle

Dolly Scent From Above’s packaging is still in production. (And we’ve been waiting ever since the news about Parton’s upcoming fragrance was first announced last December.) 

During the video interview below, Dinapoli shows color samples and a glimpse of a sample bottle, while discussing the design in more detail.

Showing a rendering of the oversized butterfly-shaped crystal cap, Dinapoli says:    

“It’s faceted and crystallized—because everything about Dolly is sparkly and shiny.”

The 5-piece cap is plastic, but resembles crystal. Dinapoli says his goal was to ensure the edges were as definitive and sharp as possible during the package development process. “We wanted to get that crystal-like Baccarat feeling. We worked with great suppliers, and they were able to achieve that level of definition,” he says. 

Pointing to the Dolly logo and butterfly embossed on the glass bottle, Dinapoli says, “We pushed the boundaries to get this level of detail in the glass.”  

What Does It Smell Like?

Firmenich developed Dolly Scent from Above, modeling the juice after a scent Parton mixed up together herself, years ago. “Fragrance has always played a major role in my life – I wear my own combination of scents every day,” Parton states in a press release.  Samples are available now, in advance of the launch.

The fragrance is a “playful floral, as soft and spirited as its namesake,” Scent Beauty’s site states.  The description continues:

“Welcome to Dolly’s world, where fruited notes as bright as rhinestones dance and float above irresistible florals, like butterflies in a garden. The earthen scents of southern fir and musk rise up to join them, in a sweet, singular harmony.”

The scent profile is:

• Top Notes: blackcurrent, crisp pear, fresh peony blossom 
• Heart Notes: jasmine, lily-of-the-valley, vanilla orchid
• Base Notes: sandalwood, fir, musk, tonka bean, amber, patchouli

Bottle-Designer-to-the-Stars

Dinapoli, aka “bottle-designer to-the-stars” often works with celebrity clients to create fragrance packaging that will best represent their personalities, and symbolize their personal brand. Three of the celebrity scents Dinapoli designed were recently nominated for Fragrance Foundation Awards.

Jon Michael Designs’ clients include Sarah Jessica Parker, Lionel Richie, Carmindy Beauty, Clarins, Ignacio Figueras, Jeremy Scott, SIO Beauty, Space NK, The Phluid Project—and more. 

Take a look at the video below to hear the entire conversation.