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The LVMH Group is very pleased to continue its support for the association La Fabrique NOMADE for the fourth consecutive year. Created in 2016 by Inès Mesmar, La Fabrique NOMADE promotes professional inclusion for refugee fine arts artisans living in France, enabling them to thrive thanks to their craftmanship skills. Each year the association releases a “Traits d’union” collection that gives these talents a chance to showcase their savoir-faire, supported by volunteer designers and stylists. This year’s vernissage took place on March 10 at the association’s workshop at the Viaduc des Arts in Paris, attended by Antoine Arnault, LVMH Image and Environment, and La Fabrique NOMADE’s sponsor Sonia Rolland.

“I’m thrilled to be back at La Fabrique NOMADE’s workshop to celebrate the launch of this new Traits d’union collection. I’d like to thank Inès Mesmar for the remarkable work she has done, as well as Sonia Rolland for acting as the sponsor of this magnificent association. Above all, I want to congratulate all the artisans who are part of this amazing adventure. Thank you for your commitment, for your passion, and for your resilience. These are values shared by the LVMH group, which is committed to preserving savoir-faire and passing on the unique skills of these métiers, and which actively promotes equal opportunities. These values are the foundation of our support for La Fabrique NOMADE over the past four years and fuel our partnership,” stated Antoine Arnault.

Sonia Rolland presented the sixth collection which theme, “Onde” (“Wave”), was chosen by designers José Lévy, Richard Descours and Matthias Schneider, formerly Director of Studio Repossi and now Jewelry Designer for Louis Vuitton. Thanks to this collaboration, artisans at La Fabrique NOMADE from Sri Lanka, Guinea, Afghanistan, the Congo and Senegal, crafted unique and contemporary pieces that bring together multiple cultures and exceptional traditional savoir-faire from across the world.

The “Onde” collection spans clothes, jewelry and art objets and is available at both La Fabrique NOMADE e-shop and the boutique at the Viaduc des Arts, 1 bis Avenue Daumesnil in Paris’ 12th arrondissement. All proceeds go towards support for the activities of the association.

LVMH, which is deeply engaged in preserving and passing on exceptional savoir-faire in craft métiers, is proud of the investments made by its Maisons, which have once again demonstrated that savoir-faire is a universal language that transcends borders.

The partnership between LVMH and La Fabrique NOMADE includes exchanges, training, skills-based philanthropy, as well as employment opportunities for some of the artisans, collaborations with LVMH Maisons and promotion of synergies with other Group initiatives, thus benefiting all the stakeholders in this partnership.

This year the partnership also enabled creation of a work entitled “Conversations Ex Situ” by sculptor Jérémy Gobé with five artisans from La Fabrique NOMADE, supported by the Métiers d’Excellence LVMH program. Presented at the FIAC international contemporary art fair in 2021, the work will soon by shown at Homo Faber in Venice, an international exhibition on craftmanship and Révélations in Paris.

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Already a three-starred chef at the Cheval Blanc Saint-Tropez restaurant, Arnaud Donckele has doubled his stars barely six months after the opening of Plénitude at Cheval Blanc Paris. The new haute cuisine restaurant in Paris has won three stars in its very first year. This is only the second time a chef has accomplished such a feat in the past 30 years.

In Paris and the south of France alike, sauces figure at the heart of Arnaud Donckele’s poetic cuisine. His signature creations are instantly recognizable, expressing deep affection and sharing between the ingredients and those who grow, harvest, gather, raise or fish them. This return to sources is embodied by artisans of the land and sea who entrust their treasures to the chef and enable him to add new pages to his culinary compendium each day. Behind each dish is a culture and celebration of the “non-recipe”, a philosophy inspired by instinct and spontaneity.

At Plénitude, Chef Donckele takes on the role of an intimate master perfumer. His precious collection of elixir-like sauces proposes an amazing complexity of head, heart and base notes, melding up to a dozen different ingredients, impossible to blindly divine. His “Absolues” – a hundred timeless fragrances – bloom like bouquets.

These magic potions reveal and elevate the “Préludes”, or first courses, with aromas of “saline and fresh waters” (fish), “prairies and fields” (meat) and “sweet fragrances” (desserts). The dishes are attuned to the sauces, triggering a suite of emotions and delightful surprises as they reveal the very best of France’s terroir and regions.

Paris has inspired a vision by Arnaud Donckele that is more national than regional. Nevertheless, he notes that “What unifies us everywhere in France, beyond the products, is clearly the sauce. And that is the creative foundation of my menu.” Plénitude is an extraordinary jewel of a restaurant where Arnaud and his team practice their art to the delight of diners who are constantly the center of the chef’s attention.

© ARR

The Samaritaine is celebrating the Paris fashion season by transforming the store into a gigantic design studio through May 17. From display windows to the heart of the store, all the different fashion métiers are featured in a great lineup of special events, plus an exhibition of work by renowned fashion photographer Erwin Blumenfeld.

The go-to hub for fashion and a true Parisian institution, the Samaritaine continues to delight visitors since reopening in June 2021. Display windows on rue du Pont-Neuf and rue de Rivoli recount the creative processes behind an array of fashion and luxury métiers and savoir-faire. Stylists, draping specialists, model makers, jewelers and more all invite visitors on a fun-filled inside look at the secrets of creativity. Inside the store, an immersive journey includes “Fashion is a Game”, an exhibition that celebrates one of the great fashion photographers, Erwin Blumenfeld. Photos by the avant-garde American artist, who died in 1969, are displayed in the heart of the department store, melding art and fashion. With striking staging that creates transparent effects and optical illusions, the playful installation pays tribute to the influential photographer.

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Also featured is the Loulou concept store, which morphs into a couture workshop staffed by sales advisors decked out in white blouses emblazoned with “Atelier Mode” amidst Stockman mannequins and big sewing tables, backed by sketches on the walls.

The first floor of the Pont Neuf building welcomes visitors to the “Designer’s Office”, detailing the creative process of Guillaume Henri, Creative Director of Maison Patou, for his 2022 Spring-Summer collection. There is also a chance to discover tomorrow’s talents in a presentation of sketches by students from the ESMOD fashion school, plus a selection of top up-and-coming brands. On the third floor is “L’Atelier” a collaboration with the startup NONA Source that explores the volumes and structure of clothes crafted using exceptional materials sourced from LVMH Fashion Maisons. And the “Studio Samaritaine” lets fashion aficionados immortalize their visit by striking a pose for the cover of Paris’ hottest fashion magazine. This amazing celebration of luxury and fashion creativity spans a full schedule over the coming weeks of demonstrations of craft expertise, master classes and other unique events. The entire program is available on the Samaritaine website.

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For an advance taste of the events, the Samaritaine has released an offbeat teaser film entitled “Atelier Mode” that follows a fashion designer’s busy day. To watch the film click here: samaritaine.com.

© ARR
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Zenith is featuring the latest versions of its Chronomaster Open and Chronomaster Sport timepieces at the 2022 edition of Watches & Wonders. The Swiss manufacture is also presenting the “Master of Chronographs” exhibition, a testament to the manufacture’s illustrious past and the myriad innovations Zenith has contributed to the advancement of mechanical chronographs.

To recount its pioneering contributions to the evolution of chronographs, Zenith has created a platform dubbed “Master of Chronographs Since 1865”. This traveling exhibition – featuring rare and historically significant pieces – makes its first stop at Watches & Wonders, spotlighting Zenith’s role as a trailblazer in driving innovation in chronographs. “We’ve contributed so much to the advancement of the modern chronograph that we feel a certain responsibility to continue leading its evolution,” says Zenith CEO Julien Tornare. “After the incredible reception of the Chronomaster Sport and its unequalled 1/10th of a second chronograph, we’re thrilled to expand the line this year with rose gold versions, and also to bring back a modern Zenith icon from the past twenty years: the Chronomaster Open”.

Introduced in 2003, the Chronomaster Open broke new ground with its partially open dial, revealing the legendary high-frequency beating heart of the El Primero movement. Now the 2022 version features a 39.5mm case in steel or rose gold and revisits the iconic tri-color dial configuration with a transparent twist. Introduced in 2021, the El Primero 3600 movement boasts a 1/10th of a second chronograph and brings improved efficiency to the new models. Instead of cutting out the small seconds counter at 9 o’clock, as was done with previous versions, the three counter colors are retained thanks to a hesalite crystal element that serves as a readable sub-dial, while allowing a view of the silicon star-shaped escape wheel. The opening has been reinterpreted too, foregoing the applied “frame” of the former version, instead opting for circular openings with chamfered edges, revealing the movement with straighter bridges and a more contemporary gray tone. The Chronomaster Open timepiece is now available in steel with a white or black dial, delivered with either a steel bracelet or a cordura-effect rubber strap. There is also a rose gold version featuring a white dial with a blue cordura-effect rubber strap, plus an exclusive edition in steel with a blue dial and steel bracelet.

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When it was unveiled in 2021 the Chronomaster Sport was crowned with the Grand Prix d’Horlogerie de Genève 2021 “Chronograph” prize. The newest iterations are equipped with the latest version of the El Primero 3600 movement. An engraved ceramic bezel version available exclusively at Zenith physical or online boutiques consists of three separate ceramic elements in the traditional el Primero tricolor palette of gray, anthracite and blue. An entirely rose gold version – including the bracelet and engraved bezel with a 1/10th of a second scale – blends precious luxe with innovation. The black or white dial has signature El Primero tricolor counters with golden hands and markers. And the Chronomaster Sport is now also available in a two-tone aesthetic, combining the durability of stainless steel and the splendor of rose gold.

© ARR

Photo © ARR

In just one decade, the Octo collection has set a new standard in the world of Haute Horlogerie with its technical prowess, iconic octagonal shape and unmistakable monochrome style. Both pure and contemporary, it embodies the dual identity of Bulgari watches, a blend of rigorous Swiss watchmaking and Italian elegance. Now Bulgari has achieved its eighth world record with the Octo Finissimo Ultra. Made in a limited series of just ten watches, this remarkable timepiece embodies the Bulgari mindset and its ability to continually innovate and redefine the codes of Haute Horlogerie.

The watch was unveiled in Rome on March 21 during a special event at the legendary Piazza della Rotonda, honoring the beauty of the Pantheon and the city of Rome, in partnership with OUCHHH and the Accademia Nazionale di Santa Cecilia. The world’s thinnest watch, this extraordinary creation is just 1.80 mm thick – and not just for the movement but the watch as a whole, from the caseback to the top of the sapphire crystal. This eighth world record joins a proud lineage, embodying the expertise acquired by Bulgari over the years, without which this endeavor would not have been possible. It also reflects the audacity and confidence needed to set off in pursuit of this ultimate ambition. To achieve this feat, Bulgari designers, engineers and watchmakers quite literally started from scratch, since one does not create the thinnest mechanical watch in the world by relying solely on existing concepts. A complete paradigm shift had to be conceived, forgetting everything to rebuild, finding innovative solutions. Eight patent applications have been filed for this creation.

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“To achieve this degree of thinness, you not only have to challenge your way of thinking, but at the same time draw upon a wide range of skills, play with multiple materials and adapt to a multitude of new constraints. In this sense, the Octo Finissimo Ultra is unquestionably the ultimate complication in this vast field of possibilities represented by ultra-miniaturization,” says Fabrizio Buonamassa Stigliani, Bulgari’s Product Creation Executive Director.

This unique piece is the fruit of three years of research and development by different technical teams engaged in this adventure at Bulgari, joined by avant-garde movement development specialist Concepto. This level of thinness – notably when all the components of a standard watch are indispensable – requires rethinking not only the components’ design and production, but also their functions. And ideally, whereas a component serves a single function in an ordinary watch, some of them need to perform up to four functions in an ultra-miniaturized timepiece.

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The Octo Finissimo Ultra bridges the real and virtual worlds too. Each of the ten owners will receive an exclusive NFT artwork, guaranteeing the authenticity of the watch and the link to its owner. The world’s thinnest watch thus becomes the vault of its own unique work of art, an everlasting bond guaranteed by the Bvlgari Singvlarity technology. A resounding exploit in the physical world, the Octo Finissimo Ultra and its distillation of mechanical ingenuity invites the best of watchmaking into the digital world as well with NFTs and blockchain.

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In addition to celebrating this tenth anniversary with an eighth world record, Bulgari unveiled two anniversary editions that connect with the roots of Octo collection’s conception. The first sketches done by Fabrizio Buonamassa Stigliani today adorn the engraved dials of two flagship models – Octo Finissimo Automatic and Octo Finissimo Chronograph GMT Automatic – crafted in titanium and released in 200-piece limited editions.

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Breaking rules and pushing boundaries are embedded in the DNA of the Octo Finissimo line, as evidenced in the array of world records held by the collection. Unique in the history of Haute Horlogerie, the collection blends elegance and technical mastery, once again showcasing Bulgari’s horological and creative genius, a perfect fusion of design and cutting-edge technology.