THE WORD “LUXURY” OR LUXURY SO MUCH LIVED IN THE EVERYDAY LANGUAGE OF PEOPLE LIVING IN THE EMIRATES, WHAT IT IS IMPOSSIBLE FOR YOURSELF TO EMPLOYEES “LUXURY” IS WELL-WELL. BUT IF THOUGHT, THEN IN THIS YOUNG STATE THE TRUE RICHES AND LUXURY ARE NOT SO LONG AGAIN. Surely, therefore, the UAE held the first in the DUBAI REGION “FRENCH LUXURY” FESTIVAL in DUBAI and caused great interest among the guests and residents of the UAE. HIS ORGANIZER HAS BEEN SPEAKED BY THE FRENCH ASSOCIATION COMITE COLBERT.
Elizabeth Ponsol de Porte,
President and CEO of Comite Colbert
This unique event was held within the walls of the largest Middle East shopping center, The Dubai Mall, in close partnership with its management. The festival was attended by 30 French luxury brands, including Baccarat, Bernardaud, Caron, Cartier, Chanel, Chloe, Christian Dior, Christofle, Guerlain, Hermes, John Lobb, Lacoste, Lancome, Louis Vuitton, Pierre Frey, ST Dupont, Van Cleef & Arpels, Yves Delorm and others who are members of Comite Colbert.
Recall that Comite Colbert ("Colbert Committee") was founded in 1954 at the initiative of Jean-Jacques Guerlain. This is an association that now unites 75 brands and 11 candidates for luxury goods, from fashion to delicacies, and these are the brands now owned by LVHM, PPR, Richemont, and independent brands Mellerio, Leonard and Bernardaud. All brands of the Committee seek to disseminate and promote historical traditions in the world, preserve the experience and secrets of professional excellence, and combine history and innovation. Comite Colbert acts as a messenger of French culture, as well as a guarantor of the authenticity of products made in France. Currently, Comite Colbert represents the most dynamic sector of the French industry. The economic impact of the brands that make up the association on a global scale indicates the undisputed leadership of the segment. Comite Colbert has over 115,000 employees; about 82% of sales in international markets are formed by these companies; outside Europe, members of the association have a fairly high economic strength, comparable to the volume of automobile production in France and 10 times the volume of the railway industry. Comite Colbert members represent 1/4 of the global luxury goods market, which exceeds the Italian luxury market by almost 2 times and the American market by 2.5 times. That is why Comite Colbert visited Hong Kong, Tokyo and New York in 1997, Shanghai in 2005, Moscow in 2007, and in 2010 he came to the Emirates. Speaking to numerous guests at the opening ceremony of the festival in Dubai, Comite Colbert President and CEO Elizabeth Ponsol de Porte said: “The main goal of our association is to spread the cultural values of all our brands, preserving their heritage and providing them with opportunities for innovation. Comite Colbert also creates an appropriate environment for the general and individual development of all brands in order to further develop the French luxury industry.The projects organized by Comite Colbert, including the current festival, are cultural e events of the highest level, allowing the creation of an associative relationship between French culture and luxury goods, brand products, such events provide support to all committee companies, facilitating the acquisition of new contacts among representatives of higher political circles and ensuring the growth of different markets in the world. Comite Colbert also promotes art and the craft of its members and thoroughly protects their intellectual property (in particular, it fights against counterfeit products). " It is clear that product samples from global brands in the luxury industry are often true works of art. And they carry the unimaginable baggage of cultural material. Even modern masterpieces. They only combine and reinterpret what has been accumulated by French artisans for centuries. Therefore, any boutique, restaurant, hotel, even a factory owned by a brand belonging to Comite Colbert is a lively operating museum in which tradition is carefully preserved and in which it is recreated again and again.
With this constructive thought, an ordinary person, unaccustomed to the world of dizzying luxury, should go to the appropriate boutiques. Otherwise, you can’t avoid a nervous breakdown, even if large sums of money themselves are floating in your hands, and you are ready to spend them on everything without hesitation. There are a lot of such boutiques in Dubai, they are expensive, beautiful, not for everyone. When you find yourself in any of them, you first experience a slight shock, and then you stop being distracted by various tinsel for the nouveau riche and pay attention only to really interesting things.
This is probably what the organizers of the November luxury festival in Dubai sought. To show the luxury that catches the eye of everyone at once, and the one that is modestly waiting for, until it comes to her turn to be appreciated. Along with the banal tour of The Dubai Mall branded boutiques, in each of them one could get to quite interesting exhibitions and presentations. Of the most remembered: the presentation of the Caron lust collection, among which were the famous fountains of perfume "Light Tobacco" and "French Cancan" in luxurious crystal bottles of Baccarat with an declared value of from 250 to 350 thousand UAE dirhams; the original Van Cleef & Arpels exposition, which was attended by the designer of the House, offering everyone to make a "Sketch of the decoration of their dreams"; exhibition of high jewelry art of the House of Sartier; porcelain, crystal and table silver Hermes, Baccarat, Bernardaud and Christofle.
The festival aroused great interest, as it should be, among immigrants from Russia and the CIS countries, who were resting at that time in Dubai and constantly residing in the Emirates. So historically, since the XVIII century, members of the Comite Colbert committee have been closely associated with many countries in Europe, including Russia, special relations. The fruitful cooperation began with special orders of luxury French goods by the Russian tsars and still continues thanks to mutually beneficial contracts between France, Russia and its neighboring countries.
By the way, in many ways, Russia inspires the representatives of the French Suite Houses to new creations. In turn, Russian society, its creators and artists, admire the French style and art of living, preferring French brands. In order to revive the time when Russians spoke French, Comite Colbert, in collaboration with the Pushkin Museum, even paid tribute to the long-standing ties of the two countries and organized an amazing meeting three years ago at Svyatoslav Richter’s December Evenings in Moscow. Since we represent the Russian-speaking segment of the market in the Emirates, our interest in the brands represented at the French luxury festival in Dubai was sincere and genuine. Moreover, we even managed to talk with the presidents and chief executives of such popular table porcelain, crystal and silver companies as Bernardaud, Baccarat and Christofle. So, get acquainted ...
Michelle Bernardo, President of Bernardaud
Michelle Bernardo Porcelain man
He is absolutely sure that porcelain should satisfy all tastes except the bad. The representative of the fifth generation of the famous family is determined to continue the work of his ancestors so that Bernardaud porcelain is always recognizable, no matter what year of release it dates from. In response to our question about what beauty means in his life, Michel Bernardo said: “True connoisseurs of a beautiful life understand that beauty is not only what we are wearing, but also what surrounds us. Beauty, everyday life, the beauty of manners ... Fortunately, the world of luxury with its delicate crystal and delicate porcelain, for example, such as ours, the famous Limoges, can become the best teacher of Art de Vivre. "
It is believed that porcelain products appeared at the turn of the epoch: the approximate time of their origin dates back to the interval between 185 BC. e. and 88 after. However, this is Chinese porcelain imported to Europe by Marco Polo, over whose clue to the secret of production was won by many bright heads. Real porcelain fever, like Klondike gold, swept Europe at the beginning of the 18th century - everyone tried to uncover the secret of producing noble transparent porcelain akin to Chinese. And when the Europeans finally succeeded in the 1710s, a global search for raw materials began. The discovery of the kaolin deposit near Limoges in 1768 led to the logical creation of the Royal Limoges manufactory, on the basis of which more than forty ceramic productions were created. One of the oldest factories is Bernardaud, founded in 1863.
Bernardaud has mastered the technology and "alchemy" of transforming raw materials into finished porcelain products of unsurpassed elegance, translucency and purity. From a small workshop in Limoges, business has grown into a global luxury brand that has become part of the success of Comite Colbert.
Michelle, what did you bring to the French luxury festival in Dubai?
Our best porcelain collections, including the one based on the sketches of Marc Chagall, if you are interested. In 1951, before marriage, the artist personally painted a set of 69 objects. And it turned out that he survived to the present day! One day, Chagall's relatives came to me and asked me to make an exact copy of it. When I sent for the treasure of the driver, I was terribly worried. He gave him strict instructions not to exceed a speed of 30 km / h, as he was very afraid that something would happen along the way. So today, the service of Marc Chagall can be bought on sale. But only in its entirety, all 69 items.
There are things among the samples brought and sold by us in the UAE that are slightly oversaturated with wealth, which are so loved by buyers from the Middle East and Russia. We use traditional material in our collections so that it looks modern. We have not only plates with flowers. We have always worked and will work with invited designers, and in such a collaboration, the designer receives a full carte blanche. I will never say, "No, we cannot do this." Only non-professionals say so. A true artist knows: nothing is impossible. Perhaps that is why our work is so loved around the world.
Do you have a favorite Bernardaud service?
At home, I often change sets, to suit the mood. But there is one to which I am especially gentle. All plates in it differ from each other and depict architectural monuments in different parts of the world. It is symbolic that the first service plate, released in 1991, was dedicated to Moscow. This is not antiques, but just an interesting job. At Bernardaud, we encourage people to live today and enjoy beautiful services here and now. Once we started to produce porcelain and from year to year to improve the process just in order to make products more affordable. The constant introduction of new technologies allows us to adhere to the best traditions of French luxury. And it would be good if we had enough for another 150 years or more.
Herve Martan, Executive Director of Baccarat
Herve Martan.
Crystal World Baccarat
Baccarat is France's oldest crystal manufacturing company; its products adorn museums and royal palaces. The history of this House began in 1764, when King Louis XV ordered the organization of glass production in the town of Baccarat in eastern France. Since then, there has been a “crystal conquest" of the world, and it is not surprising that Baccarat today is a symbol of wealth and luxury. Crystal Baccarat, white, black or red is transparent, like a tear and reflects light
Herve, you have been the CEO of Baccarat House since 2008. What fascinated you with this brand?
By the fact that it makes you see the true beauty embodied by the hands of the most talented artists of the world in crystal. Such fragile, but very expressive material.
What do you represent at the festival of French luxury in Dubai?
And at the festival, and in our branded boutiques in the Gulf countries, we present our collections of chandeliers, candelabra, sconces, candlesticks, various vases and table crystal, created by different designers - famous and not so, young and those who have already entered their name to the annals of world culture. We, as well as our customers, are interested in innovative approaches to cutting and processing crystal, to its color schemes - from white and black in the vision of Philippe Starck to bright scarlet, created especially for the autumn-winter season of 2010-2011. Another important aspect of our creativity is the manufacture of a limited series of bottles for famous and niche perfumes. Here, at the festival, they can be seen, for example, in the expositions of Caron and Guerlain. In addition, I want to note the collections of our jewelry, addressed to young fans of a luxurious lifestyle and first launched in 1992.
Among fans of Baccarat products there are many Russian buyers. What attracts them in the first place?
The highest quality, proven by almost 250 years of history. Our commitment to tradition and the desire to create genuine masterpieces. I personally also am very pleased that upon learning of our entry into the elite real estate market, many Russian investors immediately invested in the Dubai Pearl project in Dubai, where brand-name hotels and residences of Baccarat will be created. This speaks only about one thing - our mutual love for the beautiful.
Thierry Aurier, President Christofle
Thierry Aurier.
Silver Seal of Christofle
The Christofle brand owes its birth to the receipt by the jeweler Charles Christofle in 1830 of a patent for the creation in France of the first production of silverware. Currently, Christofle brand products include, in addition to silver decorative items, tableware and utensils, stationery, highly artistic collections of porcelain and crystal.
Thierry, what does Christofle House mean to you as its current president?
I’m not afraid to seem banal, but grace and elegance combined with the traditions of the old masters - this is Christofle. Both for me and for our fans.
What unusual things did you bring to the Comite Colbert luxury festival?
We present at the festival our extraordinary collection of silver sculptures 'Haute Orfevrerie', released in a limited edition. The key figures in the collection are 'The Elephant', 'The English Horse', 'The Arabian Horse' and 'The Tiger' created by artist Allison Hawkis, as well as the unique 1.2 meter “Tree” chandelier by Ora Ito and the decorative “nose” of the ship 'Voilier' by sculptor Darko Mladenovic.
What is so special about these works?
All products in the Haute Orfevrerie collection are entirely handcrafted using vintage metal processing techniques. They were created by our best craftsmen, real silver experts, whom we consider “living treasures” that preserve Christofle's traditions and secrets. These works are eternal, and I believe they will interest serious collectors.
Wishing all our interlocutors success in the coming year, we once again examined the exhibits of the participants in the first in the history of the Middle East festival of French luxury Comite Colbert. Between the lines, each of those who presented their best creations reads “if we had more Russian buyers”. Well, this quite justified interest in Russia and its customers in luxury brands, by the way, not only French, but also English, Italian, and even American, is associated with a fantastic volume of the Russian consumer market.
Fantastic traditionally: Russian aristocrats could not live without French wines, upscale porcelain, crystal, jewelry and dresses. Looking at Paris, the whole world lived, but the Russians did it on a grand scale, from which the French themselves were breathtaking. Now the world has changed, but we Russians, apparently, are not.Otherwise, how can one explain that 10% of sales of luxury brands fall to Russia by the standards of the rich and well-fed West, in which the profits of Comite Colbert Member Houses grew by 60% during the pre-crisis year 2008 and amounted to about 600 million euros.
Although the presidents of design houses in Dubai spoke of the great interest in their products from the wealthiest people in the Middle East region, including members of the ruling surnames of oil-bearing monarchies, they all well understood that even in the UAE a large percentage of sales were not so much to local residents, how many people from Russia and the CIS countries, “from young nails”, are in love with everything that comes from France.
