Our challenge is to succeed in creating classics - products that are timeless and remain modern and iconic. Designers in the past were modern in their time, and brands sometimes have a tendency to freeze their vision," says CEO of Baccarat Herve Martin, as he delves into the history of similar artistic and creative brands, looking back at the passion that was held by their founders.
"The founders were very free people," he says. "They didn't care whether a product was recognisable or not. Their motto was to create a product that would be interesting for today and tomorrow. The constant challenge is to be aware of their important work, and at the same time to find new vision and a new way to do it."
French luxury brand Baccarat launched in 1764 and has become global king of crystal design. The products cannot even be called products, they are more objets d'art, and range from lighting, table arts and decorative objects to jewellery. And the years of expertise in the art of cut crystal could not have been more beautifully represented than in its latest range of chandeliers and candelabras titled Mille Nuits d'Or by designer Mathias, the concept being inspired by tales from A Thousand and One Nights. The design is delicate and decadent, the crystals exquisite and the metal is gold-plated.
Over the years, Baccarat has collaborated with many famous designers. On the collaboration with the renowned designer Jaime Hayon, Martin has nothing but praise. "Jaime is one of the sweetest designers and it was a dream to work with him. It was one of the best associations of style and talent. He came to us, spent time at the factory, started to understand what the product was about… and he respected it. Meanwhile the people at the factory came to understand him, and what he was trying to do, and in return, they started respect his creation. Our range with Jaime was a limited edition."
The design was certainly a creative and interestingly contemporary departure from the traditional Baccarat approach - completely Baroque, steeped in Japanese style. Martin admits that a Jaime piece is eye candy for the press, and was pleasantly surprised to see that the steady clientele loved it just as much. The pieces were sold out in no time.
"He was being Jaime, but he was also being Baccarat. This collection was titled ‘a meeting' because it is really a meeting between the designer and Baccarat. For the marriage to work, the designer needs to respect some of the fundamental elements. And that is why the designers are sent to the factory to spend three days there with the glass blowers and witness the entire process. It is fascinating to watch them being inspired."
Martin admits that marketing has becomean important part of the products today."But we cannot only be guided by marketing. I strongly believe that most of the customers don't really know what they want, and it is up to us to surprise them. If we simply carry on with what we have been doing, what has been respected in the past, we will eventually become boring."
Martin uses the Hermes brand as an analogy for what he would like to see the Baccarat brand name achieve. "When you think Hermes, you don't think just leather products, as Hermes is known for scarves and more. Baccarat needs to find that. We are still too often associated with crystal makers, and we need to become more of a lifestyle brand."
Martin leaves us with these words to ponder. "It is the light that we bring through the crystal, and the way it is cut, that makes us who we are. And the distance allows us to create new interesting families of products."
He also gives us this teaser of what to expect this year: "We are working with an amalgamation of crystal and carbon."
