I t is very rare for a home appliance brand to choose an edgy, warehouse-style gallery space to showcase their latest range in Dubai. You almost never see the ranges morphed in with an art display, in this case, a montage of product images with architectural-cum-pop photography. Trust Smeg to launch this way.
Having newly acquired Better Life as their agency for UAE and Oman, Smeg celebrated this merger with a fantastic display of art and appliances at Mojo Gallery. Award-winning photographer Richard Allenby-Pratt was the artist of the hour. Allenby-Pratt's personal work highlights spatial, social and environmental issues. His translation of Smeg products into art photography subtly touches on the liberation and modernisation of the ‘stay at home' woman of the Sixties - a cultural evolution that he believes applies to modern Dubai society - while boldly celebrating the retro era with comic strip style imagery
This unique launch attracted its fair share of attention, more so as it was backed by the big guns, both from Better Life and Smeg, who showed up in full force. Standing strongly behind his family business was Vittorio Bertazzoni, CEO and son of the founder of Smeg (the company was formed in 1948). Bertazzoni shares his father's passion for design and detail and launches into a proud history of Smeg's growth over the years to the inconic, almost celebrity status it holds today. "We believe that objects in daily use should not only fill an environment; they should create an atmosphere," says Bertazzoni. "Anybody who purchases a Smeg product is not just buying a domestic appliance, but a unique and beautiful piece of art for their home. This has been the inspiration behind our collaboration with great architects and designers, such as Renzo Piano and Marc Newson."
Mohammad Al Gurg, group general manager of Easa Saleh Al Gurg (Better Life), is certain of Smeg's success here, and proud to be representing this brand in the UAE. His optimism washes away any doubts that may be associated with the property market's decline. "On the contrary, the interiors market is thriving and better than ever," he says.
Smeg products frequently feature on the sets of major films, including cameo roles in Bond movies. It is decidedly the ‘look' that has created a niche market for Smeg, each style lovingly created by architects par excellence. This fusion of creativity and quality engineering with masterminds of architecture has resulted in products that are cool, retro and ultimately, timeless. Timelessness is Smeg's aesthetic appeal. The range includes washing machines, cooking hobs, ovens and sinks and refrigerators, particularly the Union Jack, which is synonymous with this brand name.
"Smeg adds a different dimension to the rest of the Better Life range because it adds an art angle," says Ajai Dayal, head of retail and marketing for Better Life. The company has a large portfolio of quality brands, including Siemens, Electrolux and Fisher & Paykel. It seems Smeg, with its art-design quotient, will add that touch of ‘haute couture' to Better Life's range. Dayal laughs, embracing humility. "I wouldn't go that far. Some customers want functionality, some technology, others convenience or comfort. Each one has his own taste or need. And this will definitely cater to the market that is more design forward."
Smeg pieces have a very defined look that greatly appeals to the cool, the hip, the edgy, the trendy, and lovers of vintage style and art. Catering to a fan base that would comprise mostly of the style hungry, affluent elite, we wonder if sales figures for these pieces would reach the desired target, but Dayal believes that there is a revival of art in Dubai.
"If you see the number of galleries that are popping up, and the number of people frequenting these places, you realise that there is a lot going on. In terms of sales, we have already wiped out our first stock and have a waiting list on some of the products in the next shipment," Dayal says.
Smeg products certainly cannot be classified under merely appliances. The company defines its products as refined and elegant, beyond the passing fads of fashion. These home appliances are design icons that could fall under an entirely different genre of usable art. Allenby-Pratt queries this in one of his works: ‘Is it really art?'. We leave you to answer that.
