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Youthfulness, art and fashion go hand in hand in the latest Evian limited edition water bottles by British fashion designer Paul Smith.

The tall and slender glass bottle looks festive, with vibrantly-colored stripes crisscrossing its neck. Bottle caps come in five different designs.

The collaboration on the packaging reflects the character of the 63-year-old Smith.

“Youth is not just a question of age,” Smith said in a press release. “It’s also a question of attitude. Life is about living young, being youthful and enjoying yourself every day, because every day is important.”

The designer’s acquaintance with Evian started in his early years. “When I was a teenager, right from the age of 11 or 12 actually, I’ve been drinking Evian,” Smith said. “So, when Evian asked me to design this bottle, I thought, ‘Well, it’s a true story. I can do it.’ ”

As a young boy, Smith dreamed of becoming a professional bicycle racer, but a terrible cycling accident landed him in a hospital. It was there that he made new friends, some of whom were art students who got him interested in the world of creativity and expression.

He took evening classes in tailoring before joining an established fashion designer on the famous Savile Row in London before opening his first shop in Nottingham in 1970.

Today, Smith operates hundreds of stores worldwide. His style, mostly well-tailored outfits emblazoned with vibrant colors, is mostly described as “classic with a twist.”

The designer is known for his affinity for stripes, incorporating them to the shirts, socks, shoes, handbags and dining ware that he designs.

This is evident in his design for the Evian limited edition bottles.

“It is a nice glass bottle with colorful stripes around the top, printed with organic ink,” Smith said. “When I started the bottle, I wanted to use lovely, bright colors. Of course, these are my stripes with lots of beautiful colors. This is the bottle that I designed for Evian and it’s full of all the colors that I use everyday and they’re very full of energy and fun.”

The concept of the bottle also complements the Evian’s campaign of Live Young by infusing youth, enthusiasm and optimism into the design.

“The Paul Smith Limited Edition 2010 bottle truly captures the new Live Young mind-set that believes everything is possible and challenges the status quo,” said Jerome Goure, vice president of marketing for Danone Waters of America, in a press release.

“This third annual designer Evian bottle is a perfect addition to our current portfolio of products and we’re thrilled to include it in our collection.” The tradition began in 2008, with limited edition bottles designed by Christian Lacroix, followed by Jean Paul Gaultier in 2009.

“Water is the source of life, the source of youth and the source of health,” said Julia Artha I Siregar, business development manager for Evian in Indonesia. However, despite this well-known fact, drinking plain water is often considered dull.

“We engage these famous fashion designers in order to spread our campaign,” Julia said. “They are widely recognized and considered to be trendsetters. People would certainly listen.”

The health-conscious fashion set is Evian’s target market. “These people usually care a lot about their health and appearance,” Julia said. “But, they often lead hectic lifestyles and are constantly under the spotlight. They are the ones who would really benefit from Evian water.”

According to Julia, busy schedules and heavy performance activities may also cause dehydration.

“As the result, the skin loses moisture and premature aging happens,” she said. “But let’s not forget that water is the natural moisturizer. If you drink enough water, your skin will look soft and fresh.”

Bottled since 1826, Evian is a premium brand of natural spring water. The company claims that every drop of Evian takes more than 15 years to filter through mineral-rich glacial sands in the French Alps.

“The mineral composition in Evian is very good for your health,” Julia said. “It enhances your body metabolism.”

Unveiled in London on Sept. 21, there are now approximately 3,000 Evian limited-edition bottles available in Indonesia. They are retailed at premium supermarkets, hotels, restaurants and cafes.

“They make good collectible items,” Julia said. “Besides, with these bottles, you can now serve water for special moments.”

Will Evian consider a collaboration with Asian fashion designers for its limited edition bottles in the future?

“Our head office determines the fashion designers who will design Evian bottles,” Julia said.

“But, I heard that they have been eyeing Asian fashion designers for quite some time. Probably, we’ll see an Asian [fashion designer’s] name on an Evian bottle in the not so distant future.”