Rémy Martin has collaborated with renowned metalwork expert Steaven Richard to create a limited-edition Rémy Martin XO, which will be available in selected travel retail locations.
The Moodie Davitt Report was on location at Noho Studios in London this week for the European launch of Rémy Martin XO x Steaven Richard, with the artist redesigning the XO decanter and gift set.
Richard also showcased a specially-designed artwork that reimagines Rémy Martin’s emblematic centaur, and underlines the collaboration between his Paris-based atelier and the French spirits house.
More than 40% of the worldwide volume of the limited-edition will be available in global travel retail: in Asia Pacific (China, Hong Kong, Japan, South Korea, Malaysia, Taiwan, Thailand, Singapore, Australia and India); Europe and the Middle East (France, UAE, Bahrain, Oman and Qatar); and the Americas (USA and Canada).
Supporting activations will be rolled out, with the first two at Dubai International and Paris Charles de Gaulle airports over the next two months.
The starting point for the collaboration was the fact that both the House of Rémy Martin and the atelier Steaven Richard both bear the Entreprise du Patrimoine Vivant (EPV) label. It is a mark of recognition by the French State, rewarding French firms for their artisanal know-how and manufacturing excellence.
Richard’s bespoke works can be found in famous hotels in Paris, across France, and elsewhere. He worked on a project with Chanel six years ago, which inspired new speciality tools and techniques that were used in the Rémy Martin collaboration.
[A traditional, yet innovative partnership between Rémy Martin and Atelier Steaven Richard is explored in this video.]
As Richard recounted to journalists at the launch event though, there was one potential hitch to working with the spirits House: “I never drank Cognac,” the metalwork artist said.
But Richard knew the project would be “interesting, and immediately said yes.” He added: “Both Rémy Martin and my atelier come from the same tradition. I spent two days in Cognac to understand the Rémy Martin universe.”
The connections between that universe and Richard’s metalwork world inspired the theme of the artwork, which he describes as reaching “towards the stars”.
“I took inspiration from Rémy Martin’s centuries-old connection with the soil – its love for nature – and something happened. Something approaching a revelation: from the verticality of the vines that climb to the sky, this piece reaches out towards the stars,” he explained.
Discussing the links between the spirits house and his studio, Richard said: “The vines and the tasting tubes are both characterised by their vertical structure and nature, but there’s also the anchoring within the earth, mingled with the romance of the sky and stars – which is one of the House’s themes. The wafts of alcohol remind me of the water vapour that is created during the metalwork process in the atelier. There is also the idea of revitalising yourself within natural surroundings, which is essential for creativity.
“Rémy Martin is taking a fresh look at the world around it, much as I strive to do in my own work. The House never stands still, and I particularly appreciated how we worked together as a team, like a family. That’s what I try to create in my atelier as well. A product or work takes on its full meaning when the parts and the whole move together in harmony.”
Richard added that the “two essential pillars for creation” were art and craftsmanship. “We require the elements and nature. Art and craftsmanship both appeal to the senses and to our human instincts. You also need a sense of daring and the ability to challenge yourself if you are to step out of your comfort zone and create something that is bigger and more powerful than you could imagine.
“You need to know how to master the tools, yet never lose sight of your intuition. That intuition must be your guide throughout the process of creation.”
The resulting artwork, and inspiration for the redesigned decanter and gift set, “deconstructs [Rémy Martin’s] centaur logo to propose a new experience. You can only see it when looking at the artwork from a certain angle.” [A technique called anamorphosis is used].
Rémy Martin noted that the centaur logo pays homage to the “many different men and women that have worked together to contribute their exceptional know-how since 1724 and draws on their perfect knowledge of Cognac.”
Richard said: “I worked with new textures, focusing my craftsmanship on creating a work of art that would reflect our two worlds: traditional yet innovative. Metalwork provides an inexhaustible source of creativity.
“Inspired by the vines, the sculpture contains a forest of vertical lines, and evokes the French know-how at Rémy Martin. We needed to drive our traditional craftsmanship forward with a bold attitude, and we even surprised ourselves by what finally transpired.
“I was incredibly moved when the work was revealed. It is the result of a shared history, a mingling of power and authenticity, and it brings the beauty of craftsmanship to art.”
A patented process was used to create the golden texture featuring the XO motif on the artwork, and some of the techniques used in producing the artwork were also used to create the limited-edition bottle.
“The Rémy Martin decanter itself has a strong design that is unique,” Richard said, so there was only so much he could do. “We could decorate it, but not too much.
“However, there are more possibilities with the packaging, and the design of the artwork influences it strongly.”
Rémy Martin concluded of the collaboration: “Our desire was to combine the world of Cognac and its iconic decanter with the world of an extraordinary artist.
“This is more than just a partnership, it is the combination of two worlds steeped in ancestral know-how, and enhanced by the work of a team constantly searching for new ways to innovate.”
