Creating an appreciation for luxury with legacy.

How do you make luxury relevant in a world where it’s all about the next big thing? As a luxury brand, it’s not only about what you are. It’s what you stand for. Consumers are drawn to brands that share their beliefs and feel a deeper connection with them. You can’t simply say your product is worth it. You have to show why. When we were called in by a 145 year-old French luxury company, our brief was simple — invigorate the brand while understanding the patrimonial heritage.

‘In luxury, passion and dreaming are as important as functionality.’ Designing Luxury Experience, Vadim Grigorian & Francine Espinoza

To tell the story of a brand peppered with the charms of history, we first had to understand their voice. We spent time with the brand’s president and key team to learn more about their company, their story and their processes, learning to speak their language with all its pedigree and tone of voice before any capture took place.

Location, location, location.

We travelled to Paris where the brand was founded, and the heart of Saint-Germain where their historical archive is. It was important to us to understand the founder’s philosophy, to create objects that were not simply beautiful, but in harmony with their environment, and we spent time filming at their atelier in Faverges, to ensure that the rare heritage skills and crafts they use to create their products would live on in our capture.

Some things are worth holding on to.

Spending time within a company is invaluable. It helped us to isolate their tradition of sustainability and then create a new addition to their four production Arts — L’Art de Vivre or the art of living well. It’s a naturally French concept — the idea of enjoying the present, while acting responsibly for future generations.

As consumers with a conscience, global citizens, we know that we have a responsibility to future generations to focus our attention on the sustainable. Reducing waste by choosing quality over quantity, moving away from throwaway consumerism towards items designed and created to last. We like to call it l’art de vivre. The art of living well, enjoying the present while preserving the future. It’s the spirit that drives us to enhance our lives with beautiful products, designed with care and built to last. Luxury becomes a legacy, something to pass onto future generations.

Once the pre-production was complete, we retold the story of the brand with rich digital content, engaging the senses and reinforcing the emotional connection to their talisman-like objects. A series of short films played to the explorer within us all, taking the viewer on a journey through technique, tradition and the tactile experience of owning an object of desire, while always returning to their patrimonial French identity.

Visual continuity.

Artfully crafting and extending their visual content into highly polished, enchanting copy, designs, pre-produced photography and film allowed us to express the true attention to detail and the skill of the artisans and craftsmen who bring these sophisticated products to life, whilst maintaining continuity with all offline content.

Together with our partners, we created a bespoke library of content for the brand, with the polish of heritage, craft and passion that sets them apart, reminding their audience that they’re not simply buying a product, but membership of an elite club that includes iconic screen legends and world leaders.

As proud as we were of the results, we’re even more proud of the process that brought us there. Designing and capturing these moments takes time and a dedicated resource with a shared admiration for the brand’s ambitions and values. Some moments are worth holding on to.