Iconic French homeware brand, Saint-Louis, has just introduced some timeless and contemporary tableware and decoration pieces ahead of Christmas. Drawing from experience dating back to half a millennium, these objets d’art are designed to transform your home into a magical space. We recently caught up with the brand’s CEO Jerome de Lavergnolle to find out about his personal recommendations and other special services this Christmas.
Please tell us something about the origins of Saint Louis.
Established in 1586, the Münzthal glassworks became known as Saint-Louis in 1767 by letters patent from King Louis XV. In 1781, Saint-Louis’s skilled craftsmen discovered the secret formula of crystal for the first time in continental Europe. Over centuries, Saint-Louis has remained an emblem of classic luxury and has sidestepped any risk of being engulfed by current fashion trends. In 1995, Saint-Louis became part of the Hermès Group.
What is your latest collection and what are the sources of inspiration for it?
In January 2017, we introduced Folia – a 25-piece collection of tableware, vases, candlesticks and lighting. In September 2017, we wanted to celebrate the 90th anniversary of the iconic Tommy collection with colour and panache. The first Tommy collection was introduced in 1928 to celebrate the friendship between France and the UK after World War I.
What do you recommend from your collection for our readers this Christmas?
Saint-Louis has designed several eye-catching items especially for Christmas. Twist 1586 is an exhaustive tableware collection, perfect for wowing your guests, while the Plurielle Vase can easily be a centrepiece in any setting. For clients looking for more minimalist options, I’d recommend the Oxymore collection with its clean-cut features.
Does Saint-Louis cater to any special request services?
We do honour special request services. For lighting, you can opt for our customised services to make changes to our ready-to-light collection. For instance, royal lightings can be customised for an extra touch of exclusivity: a single chandelier can offer over 15,000 possibilities! We also have a made-to-order service. Till date, the largest chandelier made to order at our factory was 9 metres high, 4 metres in diameter and weighed around 2,500 kg.
We also customise tableware and ornamental items, engraving them with your name or adding a new embellishment.
You have worked for the Hermes group for over 20 years. What are the biggest changes in terms of the Asian market?
Today, Asian clients are not necessarily following trends, but are setting their own trends. They have become connoisseurs who have abandoned the prominence of the logo for signature designs. Customised or made-to-measure pieces also catch their interests.
Thank you.
Text: Suchetana Mukhopadhyay