Pratt Institute - Luxe Pack Art of Packaging Award Gala, benefiting the Marc Rosen Scholarship and Education Fund for Packaging by Design at Pratt Institute, will honor Shiseido for its outstanding commitment to package design, on Tuesday, April 17, 2012, at New  York’s University Club (Fifth Avenue at 54th Street). Heidi Manheimer, CEO, Shiseido Cosmetics America, and Katsuhiko Shibuya, Creative Director, Shiseido Co., Ltd from the headquarters in Tokyo, will accept the award. 

Born in Tokyo, Mr. Shibuya graduated from Tokyo National University of Fine Arts and Music, one of the most competitive art schools in Japan. Mr. Shibuya has created award-winning visual communications and packaging design for some of Shiseido’s most visible and important brands. He was responsible for the overall Global Shiseido brand innovation in 2009, including Future Solution LX, Bio Performance, Benefiance WrinkleResist 24 and the current makeup line. A true love of Japanese painting techniques is often noticeable in his work, and he believes every visual needs a compelling message in order to be noticed long enough to communicate with customers. As of April 2012, Mr. Shibuya will head up Shiseido’s Hanatsubaki magazine, serving as creative director for the influential fashion, beauty and lifestyle publication.  

For her part, Heidi Manheimer has been setting the stage for Shiseido to attain a new level of awareness and prominence in the U.S. beauty industry. Ms. Manheimer is the first American female CEO in the company’s 140-year history. Ms. Manheimer joined Shiseido as Executive Vice President and General Manager.  Within two years, she was promoted to the newly created position of President of U.S.  Operations, a title she held until her appointment to CEO. During her tenure at Shiseido Cosmetics America, Ms. Manheimer has led the company to tremendous growth in the U.S. market, establishing the brand as one of the top ten most popular prestige beauty lines. This success can be attributed to Ms. Manheimer’s extensive background in developing niche cosmetic brands and leading them successfully to market. In addition to her corporate responsibilities, Ms. Manheimer is active in cosmetic industry associations and charitable causes. 

Previous recipients of the prestigious Art of Packaging Award include Avon, Bath & Body Works, Calvin Klein, Clinique, Coty, Inc., Coty Prestige, Dior Beauty, Estée Lauder, Lancôme, P&G Prestige, Proctor & Gamble and Ralph Lauren Fragrances. 

The Art of Packaging Award is presented each year to a fragrance company that has excelled in the art form. It benefits the Marc Rosen Scholarship and Education Fund for Packaging by Design at Pratt Institute, which was founded in 1989. It is the only scholarship in the world available to college students looking to pursue careers in cosmetics and package design. Each year, the scholarship is supported by the cosmetics industry at the Art of Packaging Award Gala, an event that attracts the top-tier of New York City’s multi-billion dollar cosmetics industry. 

At Pratt, Rosen teaches a course on cosmetic and fragrance packaging design. The program — Communications and Package Design — is ranked as one of the top 10 graduate graphic design programs in the country by U.S. News and World Report and collegecrunch.org. 

Rosen’s unique package design course has attracted  over 300 national and international students to Pratt. Scholarship funds have been awarded to approximately 100 of these students, many of whom have gone on to become creative directors and executives of companies and branding agencies worldwide.

Rosen is an internationally acclaimed designer; a Pratt trustee and alumnus; and is head of Marc Rosen Associates, New York. Rosen is a seven-time FiFi award winner— the fragrance industry’s equivalent of the Academy  Award. Prior to establishing his own firm in 1989, Rosen was Senior Vice President of Corporate Design and Communications for Elizabeth Arden Worldwide.