Joining S.T. Dupont in 2006, as the President of the Management Board, Alain Crevet’s history in the world of luxury brands and expertise in consulting and establishing successful long-term development strategies, has been proven over the years and yet again with the recent unveiling celebration of the limited edition ‘Thousand and One Nights’ collection set and the Mon Dupont collection of lighters and pens in collaboration with fashion mogul, Karl Lagerfeld.
The limited edition collection set reflects the elegant craftsmanship that is S.T. Dupont. The set was given the name, ‘Thousand and One Nights’ in order to pay homage to the Eastern region in reference to the literary tales of thousand and one nights. After the successful launch of the limited edition set, Mr. Crevet revealed the inspiration and journey of the symbolism behind ‘Thousand and One Nights’ and the collaboration for the Mon Dupont collection set.
When asked about the processes and steps taken in order to establish a long-term development plan, Mr. Crevet explained, “When I first started with S.T. Dupont, I wanted to understand Dupont. How does one go about this? You dig deep, you go into the history and you indulge yourself into the core of the company. In order for me to acknowledge and comprehend the basis of how the company started and the processes that were taken and why they were taken, I sat down with Andre Dupont, and from there I was able to establish an approach.”
S.T. Dupont was established in 1872; the company’s start was through the creation of custom-made travel cases and prestigious leather goods for the elite around the world. “Amid S.T. Dupont’s customers, the Parisians took a particular liking to the luxurious accessories, which were made from the finest and rarest materials. Because of this, Simon Tissot-Dupont became the official supplier to the Grands Magasins du Louvre,” Crevet affirmed. Some of the company’s loyal customers include the Maharaja of Patiala, Baron Maurice de Rothschild and Queen Elizabeth.
When asked if there was a specific element or drive that attracted Mr. Crevet to join S.T. Dupont, he stated, “For one hundred and forty years, S.T. Dupont has been the leading brand in luxury leather goods, lighters, writing instruments, and other accessories. It is a sophisticated brand and my passion lies within marketing and branding. I wanted to re-connect the roots of the company and from there develop a unique strategy that would allow a more modernized style, yet conserve the traditional elegance of S.T. Dupont.”
The launch of the limited edition ‘Thousand and One Night’ set is an example of Mr. Cravet’s long-term development strategy. The collection tailors to both males and females, and consists of a Ligne 2 lighter, Neo-Classique fountain pen and a roller, and a pen holder with a paper cutter as well as an ink bottle. Each item is numbered out of one thousand and one pieces. There is also a set created in solid white gold with diamonds.
The theme of the marvellous limited edition collection relates back to the Sheherazade to the Sultan Shahriar, the tales of Eastern literature that reflect and reference the significant imagery such as the flying carpet in the fairy tale, Aladdin.
The collaboration with one of the world’s masters of reinvention to fashion labels and creative director and designer for Chanel, Karl Lagerfeld, was a decision made ambiguously for the 2011 Mon Dupont sublime collection of lighters and pens, an additional extension to Mr. Crevet’s long-term branding strategies and recent launch celebration in augmentation with the limited edition ‘Thousand and One Nights’ collection.
“Karl and I have been friends for a long time and have known each other because of the business and industry we are in. Also, knowing that Karl enjoys creating and designing for elements he has never done before made the collaboration more exhilarating for all of us,” adding, “he had sketches ready for us within a matter of days, including the details, finishes and colours. The designs were unusual, yet so unique and created through the inspiration of a bottle in the shape of a fan and by the elegance of the lines and materials. Throughout the sketches, Karl used nail polish to reproduce the colours and lacquered appearance of the collection. For S.T Dupont, lacquering conveys the signature elements of its traditional craftsmanship.”
The unveiling of the limited edition ‘Thousand and One Nights’ collection set and Mon Dupont collection of lighters and pens in collaboration with Karl Lagerfeld, is only the beginning of S.T. Dupont’s long-term legacy in Mr. Alain Crevet’s eyes. With leader, innovator and President of the Management Board, Alain Crevet, the future of S.T. Dupont will continue to be a symbol of success of the elite.
First Published in Men's Passion Issue #38 March 2012
