“One of not many” Vacheron Constantin unveils its new communications campaign
“One of not many”. The signature of the new Vacheron Constantin communications campaign defines the exceptional universe it has embodied for more than 260 years. In the prestigious realm of Fine Watchmaking, this is a Maison for connoisseurs, profoundly attached to human values and enriched by expertise passed on across generations of master watchmakers and artisans.
Founded in 1755, Vacheron Constantin is the oldest watch manufacturer in continuous operation. For more than 260 years, it has been constantly reinventing itself in keeping with the purest Fine Watchmaking traditions. Its philosophy is grounded on knowledge rather than outward appearance. The constant innovation, the spirit of exploration, the passion and the uncompromisingly high standards of its watchmakers and artisans; the transmission of ancestral skills, the wealth of its heritage and its ability to adapt to its times: such are the values that earn it both recognition and respect within the exclusive circle of Fine Watchmaking connoisseurs.
“The watch industry represents over one billion watches per year, of which only 25 million are produced in Switzerland and barely 500,000 can lay claim to Fine Watchmaking status. Within this context, Vacheron Constantin focuses on limited and reasonable production volumes, as required to offer the highest level of quality, aesthetics and expertise. Within an already highly exclusive segment, our Maison is committed to maintaining a unique and sophisticated character. In this respect we are resolutely “One of not many”, explains Louis Ferla, CEO Vacheron Constantin.
Through their understated elegance, Vacheron Constantin watches carry within them this identity forged from a subtle balance between technical expertise and aesthetic refinement, between tradition and innovation. They are born of rigorous discipline, humility and a desire for self-surpassing.
To embody this spirit, the Maison has chosen to cooperate with talented artists whose personality and work express a constant quest for excellence, openness to the world as well as a spirit of innovation and creativity characterizing Vacheron Constantin. Distinctive, visionary, passionate and acknowledged as experts in their respective fields, they also epitomise the concept of Connoisseurs.
Paving the way is the uniquely compelling artist Benjamin Clementine. Considered one of the most talented musicians of his generation, Clementine has established himself as a virtuoso multi-instrumentalist, a contemporary poet and an outstanding vocalist. With a creative spirit that speaks to a generation searching for more, true to his craft, Benjamin Clementine personifies “One of Not Many”.
As for the artist James Bay, creativity is never a given: it is an uncertain formula requiring a fine balance of time, focus and emotion. Far from resting on his laurels after the global success of his first album, he has opted to explore new musical territories and to reinvent himself with a daring and sophisticated second album mingling rock and soul sounds.
Both are associated with the modern and cosmopolitan elegance of the Fiftysix® collection.
An influential and multidisciplinary designer, Ora Ito adopts the refined lines of the Patrimony collection, a singular expression of the balance between mechanical excellence, aesthetic sobriety and his signature "Simplexity" concept.
Cory Richards, a seasoned photographer and an intrepid explorer who has climbed Mount Everest without oxygen, travels the world to capture its most beautiful and unexpected images. He shares with the Overseas line the spirit of discovery and openness to the world.
As Laurent Perves, Chief Marketing Officer of the Maison points out: “The worlds in which these talents are active – music, design, exploration and photography – are legitimate and relevant territories in which Vacheron Constantin has long since been present. What is most important in their work and in ours is transcending objects in order to generate emotion.”
These inspired artists have taken part in the art direction of the new communications campaign. “This is the first stage in a broader project involving creative cooperation with each of these talents, and others to come”, says Laurent Perves. “These human and artistic encounters are undeniably in line with those that have punctuated the history of the Maison since 1755.”
The campaign images, shot by Phil Poynter, offer a backstage view of the art and savoir-faire of these talents. From one visual to another, the human hand leaves its unique imprint, adjusting proportions, controlling focus or tuning an instrument, in a manner unmistakably akin to that of Vacheron Constantin artisans and master watchmakers.
#OneOfNotMany
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- Creative Direction: Volker Gehr
- Art Direction: Pierrick Jegou, Alexa Chessex
- Photography & Film: Phil Poynter
- Locations: Capitol Studios LA, Abbey Road Studios London, Paris Palais Royal, Vasquez Rocks CA.
Benjamin Clementine
In 2013 Benjamin Clementine, a seemingly perfectly-formed star, appeared as if out of nowhere. It wasn’t far from the truth for a young man whose complex formative history would take him from teaching himself to play classical music as a child, to becoming one of the most compelling and unique artists of recent times.
Praised for his craft and singularity, Clementine's platinum-selling debut album At Least For Now was awarded both the UK’s prestigious Mercury Prize in 2015 alongside the Victoire de la Musique in France. Following his subsequent collaboration with Damon Albarn on the Grammy Award-winning Gorillaz album Humanz, Clementine released his much anticipated second album I Tell A Fly in 2017.
Entirely self-written, recorded and produced, I Tell A Fly explores the world around him through the prism of Clementine's own personal history, seeking to make sense of both in the process. The results rendered the album as compassionate and empathetic as it was angry, satirical, and critical, leading to widespread critical acclaim and sold-out tours – including New York’s Carnegie Hall – with NPR declaring Clementine 'a musical George Orwell for our time.’
James Bay
Raised on a music diet of Eric Clapton and Michael Jackson as a child, James Bay was a blues purist in his teenage years, served his musical apprenticeship as an open-mic troubadour and then emerged with a series of a heart-swelling pop songs like ‘Let It Go’ and ‘Hold Back The River’ as he made his debut with 2015 album Chaos And The Calm.
Immediate anthems, the tracks were recorded in Nashville, earning their creator Grammy nominations, an Ivor Novello award, a nod from GQ, plus recognition that took him from wins in best new act categories in 2015 to triumphs as best solo/ male artists the following year at both the Q Awards and the BRITS. Yet when Bay took his music on the road his songs proved more than just trophy pieces, but beating, brilliant, vibrant moments that got audiences both pumping the air… and shedding a tear. There were sell-out shows across the globe – including major tours in the US and the UK, plus a host of key slots at prestigious festivals.
Yet when at the end of 2016, finally home from the road, Bay found himself being tugged in a variety of new directions as the first songs for his second record rapidly started to emerge, he not only knew he had to embrace the unexpected places his ideas were pulling him, but he was truly excited by the possibilities that lay ahead. In 2018, true to the spirit of evolution so dear to James Bay, Electric Light has been forged by the white heat of innovation while dealing in frank emotions familiar to everyone.
Ora Ito
Born in 1977, Ora Ito began making a name for himself from the age of 19, by creating imaginary 3D objects for Vuitton, Apple, Nike, etc. Since then, he has cooperated on collections for prestigious international brands in the fields of design and architecture. His philosophy, which he calls “Simplexity”, is the art of giving visible simplicity to an object with complex functions.
His creations encapsulate the aesthetic codes of a new, yet timeless and universal vision of luxury featuring the same minimalist purity. In 2011, Ora Ito was named a “Chevalier des Arts et des Lettres” in France. In 2013, he created the MAMO “Marseille Modulor” art centre in Marseille, France and then staged exhibitions with major artists such as Xavier Veilhan (2013), Daniel Buren (2014) and Dan Graham (2015).
His most recent achievements include the new tramway inaugurated in Nice, France in 2016; the ICO chair unveiled at the Milan Furniture Fair; along with six of his iconic pieces joining the permanent collection of the Pompidou Centre in Paris. The year 2017 notably featured the new-gen Yooma ‘urban lodge’ near the Eiffel Tower, on which Ito cooperated with artist Daniel Buren.
Cory Richards
Cory Richards is an explorer and visual storyteller. A high school drop-out at 14 to summiting Everest without oxygen, his life has followed an irregular arc.
His camera has taken him from the controlled and complex studio to the wild and remote corners of the world, from the unclimbed peaks of Antarctica to the Himalaya of Nepal to the forgotten war zones of Angola, Uganda, and Pakistan—all in an attempt to capture not only the soul of exploration but also the paradoxes and surprising similarities inherent in our human family.
Cory has endured and completed two successful summits of Mount Everest, even without oxygen in 2016. Richards is a passionate climber as well as social documentarian and has carved a niche as one of the world's leading photographers, pursuing the genres from adventure, to geo-political and social impact, to portraiture. His images have appeared in Outside and the New York Times and his film work has won awards at nearly every major adventure film festival, including the grand prize at the Banff Mountain Film Festival.