Lalique

CHAPTER THREE

FORWARD THINKERS

definition With their ability to see the bigger picture, forward thinkers never stay still. Their creative restlessness keeps moving them forward. They are the pioneers of new ideas, never afraid of reinvention or challenging the status quo. The following stories are great case studies to get inspired by.

LALIQUE

The Spirit of Lalique

How legacy and heritage are shaping the future of reinvention

interview by Karolina Barnes, images provided by Melissa Byrne

Recognised today as an Enterprise du Patrimoine Vivant (a living heritage enterprise), the Lalique luxury brand is constantly reinventing itself to express its artistic individuality. Inspired by its faithful muses and the swallows, Lalique has yet more beguiling pages to add to its story.

Before we chat to Frederick Fischer, the managing director of Lalique UK, first read the fascinating story of René Lalique and how he became the master jeweller and Art Deco glassmaker of the late 19th and early 20th Century.

History and heritage of Lalique

René Lalique was born in Aÿ-en-Champagne in the Marne region of France in 1860. Even though the family moved to Paris and his journey took him away from Aÿ, René remained deeply attached to his birthplace throughout his life. Following the death of his father, he became an apprentice to craftsman and jeweller Louis Aucoc. It was during this time that he learnt jewellery-making techniques, while attending classes at the École des Arts Décoratifs in Paris. He then left for England where he continued his studies for two more years. In 1885, after gaining recognition as an independent designer for some of the great jewellery Houses such as Jacta, Cartier and Boucheron, René took over the workshop of jeweller Jules Destape on Place Gaillon in Paris. In 1887, Lalique set up business on Rue du Quatre-Septembre. As early as 1888 René designed his first parures in finely-wrought gold inspired by Antiquity and Japonism, and broke with jewellery-making tradition by including innovative materials in his pieces. At the time, originality and creativity had been abandoned in favour of ornate and lavish styles with an abundance of precious stones. René made the materials he used central to his designs. He chose them for their power, light and colour, whether they were precious or not. He combined gold and gemstones with semi-precious stones, mother-of-pearl, ivory and horn, in addition to enamel and glass. He engraved the unique pieces with his trademark RL stamp.

Over a few following decades, René gained in popularity, with three workshops to run as well as building his reputation. He won competitions, exhibited his work and created jewellery for well-known entertainers such as actress Sarah Bernhardt. His desire to “create something that had never been seen before” earned him the accolade of the “inventor of modern jewellery”. He revolutionised jewellery styles of the period, becoming a favourite with leading socialites, and was admired by the most distinguished of his fellow-jewellers. His work was commissioned by the great courts and collected by the world’s wealthy.

When, in 1900, he took part in Great Exhibition in Paris, it was the crowning moment of René Lalique's career as a jeweller. It was that same year he was also named Officer of the French Legion d'Honneur. In 1905 René opened a shop at 24, Place Vendôme, where he exhibited not only his jewellery but also the glass objects crafted in his workshop at his estate in Clairefontaine, near Rambouillet. Perfumer François Coty was so impressed by René's designs that he asked him to put his talent to work for the perfume industry. Their collaborative work together revolutionised the perfume industry and made it possible for the first time to offer perfumes in attractive bottles at affordable prices. From then on, René worked increasingly on designs for the perfume sector, finally devoting himself entirely to more industrial techniques of glass production. René Lalique, Art Nouveau master jeweller, was to become an Art Deco master glassmaker. He devoted himself to glassmaking for several years. His quest for a suitable location to produce glassware and a qualified workforce led him to Alsace. He founded the Verrerie d’Alsace glassworks at Wingen-sur-Moder in Alsace, at the heart of a region with a strong and historic glassmaking tradition. This is now the world’s only Lalique factory.

René participated in numerous architectural projects. The 1925 International Exposition of Modern Industrial and Decorative Arts in Paris marked the climax of René Lalique’s career as glassmaker, and a triumph for the Art Deco movement. His techniques with glass gave rise to a style that was essentially expressed through the contrast between clear and frosted glass. He sometimes added a patina or enamel or used stained glass. When luxury was involved, René Lalique’s name was right alongside. He was inundated with commissions and undertook some large-scale interior design projects such as decorating the famous fashion designer Madeleine Vionnet’s haute couture salons, designing glass doors for Prince Yasuhiko Asaka’s residence in Tokyo and creating the fountain which for a time decorated the Galerie des Champs-Elysées in Paris. He then participated in the interior design of the vast first-class dining room of the luxury liner Normandie. He designed lighting columns and chandeliers for this colossus of the seas.

When René Lalique died in 1945, his son Marc took over as head of the business. He was to bring Lalique into the age of crystal. In 1977 Marc’s daughter Marie-Claude Lalique became CEO of the company. She renewed the tradition of jewellery design and developed the fragrance business. The history of Lalique has always been closely linked to that of perfumery. When Marie-Claude created the eponymous fragrance, "Lalique de Lalique" in 1992, her initiative was more than legitimate. Lalique Parfums has a unique signature that combines creativity in its bottle design with a quest for exceptional quality within its fragrances.

In 2008 Swiss group Art & Fragrance under the management of Silvio Denz acquired Lalique with the aim of developing it globally and increasing the production capacity of crystal glassworks. A new tank furnace was inaugurated at the Lalique crystal glassworks, demonstrating the commitment to modernising the Wingen-sur-Moder factory. The Lalique museum opened its doors in Wingen-sur-Moder after two years of construction. The museum houses over 650 pieces by René Lalique and his successors. The building designed by Jean-Michel Wilmotte contains a collection of jewellery, glass and modern-day crystal presented in a bright and luminous environment.

In recent years Lalique as a brand has expanded into furniture design, home accessories and even hospitality. The former villa, built by René Lalique in 1920, has taken on a new lease of life as a showcase for Lalique’s flair and expertise. Purchased in 2014 by Silvio Denz, Château Lafaurie-Peyraguey is getting ready to greet a new dawn. Redesigned as a luxury hotel with a gourmet restaurant, the entire establishment has been decorated by interior designers Lady Tina Green and Pietro Mingarelli.

This latest Lalique hotel, managed by Christophe Noulibos, comprising ten rooms and three suites, is intended as a place where four worlds: wine, crystal, gastronomy and hospitality come together.

How are Lalique’s product ranges put together and designed with the use of their signature material and style?

The main inspiration is our founder, René Lalique combined with the creativity and innovation of our creative director Marc Larminaux and his team in Paris. Gaia is our latest collection for Spring Summer 2021 and is a homage to Mother Earth – a subject that was very close to René Lalique – nature was a source of inspiration throughout his career. Many of his original designs feature in Gaia which is a testament to his incredible creativity. For example, in 1928, René Lalique designed the Merles and Raisons decorative panels, in pressed glass on a silver background to adorn the Cuban mahogany woodwork of the legendary Orient Express. The Lalique Studio has today reinterpreted this creation in new expressions through vases and a bowl which is both beautiful and practical – a celebration of the heritage of the house in a contemporary shape.

How important is customer experience for building loyalty?

I recently celebrated 20 years at Lalique – customer experience is at the heart of all we do - Lalique is a lifestyle that celebrates the French art of living well. As well as decorative items, perfume, jewellery and art, we have hospitality venues in France and the UK. Three hotels in France – two in Alsace including Villa René Lalique the former family home of René Lalique which is now a 5 star hotel and 2 Michelin star restaurant set on the edge of the Vosges and Château Lafaurie Peyraguey in Bordeaux a hotel and Michelin star restaurant overlooking the Sauternes vineyards. We will shortly be opening a restaurant and whisky bar at The Glenturret, the oldest distillery in Scotland which will open at the end of June.

How do you work with interior designers?

We work closely with interior designers on global projects via our London Boutiques in Conduit Street, Burlington Arcade and Harrods offering a seamless service that can be totally bespoke to suit each project. We work with our dedicated design studio in Paris and the Lalique factory in Alsace. The factory, which is situated in Wingen-sur-Moder close to Villa Rene Lalique and the Lalique Museum, still produces all Lalique pieces today and will celebrate 100 years in 2022.

Many of the artisans are intergenerational craftspeople. This kind of know-how enables us to work very closely with the designer, match their requirements and go the extra mile at the factory to ensure each piece is created to suit with unique flair and creativity.

Can you tell us more about some of the interesting design projects Lalique has been involved in?

Lalique has been involved in some of the most beautiful jewel-like interiors across the world. This season, we launched a wider collection with the interior designer Mr Pierre Yves-Rochon ‘Signature’, a collection of lighting and furniture items that was originally launched in 2017. Mr Rochon has long been inspired by Lalique and has used our creations for some of his finest hotels including The Four Seasons in London and Florence, The Shangri-La in Paris, The Waldorf Astoria in Beverly Hills, and Claridges and The Savoy in London where he was instrumental in locating the Lalique Poisson Fountain in the now iconic entranceway.

Other recent Lalique projects include Singapore Airlines where you will find Lalique glassware and toiletries in its premier class cabins, The Prince de Galles hotel in Avenue George-V in Paris and some of the world's finest superyachts and private residences. E

LALIQUE BOUTIQUE

47 CONDUIT STREET

LONDON W1S 2YP

Tel: 0207 292 04 44

Website: lalique.com

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