When LVMH, the large conglomerate of luxury firms, finally acquired Tiffany & Co. last October (after more than a year of litigation and the disbursement of 13,500 million euros), the gradual change of image of one of the most iconic and profitable jewelery brands in the world.
"We want to prioritize its relevance in a lasting way in the face of short-term challenges," commented the president of the
holding company at the time.
, Bernard Arnault, during a press conference. An idea that, in these ten months, has resulted in changing the image of the house from top to bottom, until now historically linked to the American middle class and the classic imaginary of romance and marriage. In this last year the brand has opted for ambassadors of a more diverse profile (such as the actress Tracee Ellis Ross or the Korean pop star Rosé), it has expanded its offer of men's jewelry, it has opted for disruptive advertising (a month ago they launched the campaign "Not your mother's Tiffany" to get closer to the new generations) and has given prominence to exclusive and avant-garde pieces compared to the rest of the brand's products, one of the few on the market with an offer that ranges from 100 euros to five-figure prices for the most luxurious models.
This Monday,
Women's wear daily
magazine
exclusively revealed the next big step in the new era of Tiffany & Co: Beyoncé and Jay Z, perhaps the most powerful couple in the entertainment industry, are the new faces of the brand. It is the first time that they have starred in a campaign together and, although it is unknown how much LVMH has spent to achieve it, it is a powerful advertising exercise that will last a whole year and includes a short film directed by Emmanuel Adjei, who has already been in charge of the videos from the artist's latest album, 'Black is King' and a session photographed by Mason Poole that can be seen in the main enclaves of Tokyo, Paris, London and, of course, in Times Square.
LVMH's effort to renew the famous history of the jewelery brand becomes, on this occasion, more explicit than ever.
Beyoncé emulates the great Tiffany & Co. ambassador, Holly Golightly, the mythical character of Audrey Hepburn in 'Breakfast at Diamonds', with a bow and black dress, also by Givenchy.
And, in case there was any doubt, in the video, which will be released next month, the interpreter sings 'Moon river' on the piano, while Jay Z films the moment with a Super 8 camera. The rapper, in a suit and with dreadlocks , evokes another great symbol of the New York scene, Jean Michel Basquiat, whose history has not been linked to that of the brand.
Up to now.
Because in this exercise of advertising power there are two semi-hidden protagonists as influential for the new story of the brand as the marriage itself.
More information
Beyoncé's empire becomes a dynasty
The first is the mythical 'Tiffany diamond', discovered in South Africa in 1877. Its 287, 42 carats make it one of the most valuable gems in the world. To date, it has only been worn three times: it was worn by activist Mary Whitehouse at a benefit gala in 1957, Hepburn in promotional photos for 'Breakfast with Diamonds' and Lady Gaga to collect her Oscar for best song in 2019. Beyoncé is the fourth to wear it. The second is the work 'Equals Pi', created by Basquiat in 1982 and which functions as the only decorative element in the photographs. LVMH bought it a few months ago from a private collector for one reason: its color, turquoise blue, is almost identical to the corporate blue that the firm has used as a house brand for more than half a century. “We have no record of Basquiat doing this painting for Tiffany,but at LVMH we have always been in contact with his work. We know his family and we have dedicated a retrospective to him at the Louis Vuitton Foundation. She loved luxury and jewelry. I would dare to say that he did not choose that color by chance ", he commented to
Women's wear Daily
Alexandre Arnault, son of LVMH owner Bernard Arnault, and now vice president of Tiffany & Co. “What we want with this campaign is to show the most luxurious pieces that we own, to remind the public that we are a house of fine jewelry.
To do it hand in hand with the Carters (Beyonce and Jay Z) is to unite the best product to the best ”, he added.
This demonstration of media power goes hand in hand with the gradual renovation of some of the brand's most relevant stores so that their appearance is consistent with this new image.
It is known, for example, that Peter Marino, perhaps the most emblematic architect in
retail
of luxury, will be in charge of renovating the emblematic headquarters of New York's Fifth Avenue during the next year. But these probably won't be the only big steps the holding company takes to reinvent Tiffany. In fact, the new leadership of the firm is made up of three heavyweights of this luxury emporium: Alexandre Arnault, who in recent years has managed to turn Rimowa into the most demanded premium luggage company in the sector, Michael Burke and Anthony Ledru, CEO and commercial vice president, respectively, of Louis Vuitton, the conglomerate's crown jewel. It has cost them so much to get hold of it, economically and legally speaking, that it would not be unreasonable to claim that Tiffany & Co.in the coming months, it will become a kind of screen through which LVMH's leadership and influence in the global luxury market will be shown.