On the subject of timepieces, fantastic or in any other case, fashion is usually not a part of the bundle…at the least not fashion as outlined right here by the Oxford dictionary, which fits one thing like this: a particular look, sometimes decided by the rules in accordance with which one thing is designed. After all, if one seems to be at Mirriam-Webster, one finds one thing a bit extra helpful to the concept of fashion and watchmaking: a particular high quality, type, or kind of one thing. That one is succinct and maybe greatest suited in terms of introducing a person for whom fashion is his complete job…properly, part of it at the least.
Helpfully, Pierre Rainero, Director of Picture, Fashion and Heritage at Cartier, has printed his personal definition of fashion, which I’ve referenced on a couple of event. It’s going to now come residence to roost, which I discover most gratifying. “Fashion is the incarnation of a philosophy that conveys complicated issues in a easy means. It has its personal sensibility, and thus turns into a means of anticipating, experiencing, and speaking emotions and feelings – fashion, maybe, is solely the expression of a imaginative and prescient.” Rainero wrote that in his chapter within the Flamarion hardcover Cartier: The Energy of Fashion (2010).
Combining picture and heritage with fashion, and also you may assume that Rainero is the de facto inventive or creative director, however that isn’t the case. No such function exists at Cartier, though his title initially was Communication and Inventive Director again in 1999. In truth, Rainero has held various roles at Cartier since 1984, when he first joined. It was a time of change on the storied jewelry and watch agency, and Rainero has had a entrance seat alongside the good names of that point…Perrin, Cologni, Fornas… We sat down with Rainero to listen to his story at Watches and Wonders Geneva 2023.
You may have a somewhat spectacular title, which you have got held since 2003. Inform us about it?
Properly, day-after-day is completely different in fact, as a result of actually I’ve many various issues I’m concerned in… The central duty, in fact, and that explains all the opposite ones (as you will note), is my involvement within the inventive course of. In order that’s successfully the fashion a part of my title.
In 1998, Alain Dominique Perrin was President of Cartier and he had that function (as creative director) with out having the title – he was president, so he may do every little thing. In 1999, when he was leaving to change into president of Richemont, he advised me ‘you may be the creative director.’
So, for some time I had the Communication and Inventive Director title, and really rapidly I noticed that it was not precisely what I used to be doing. For 2 causes. First, I noticed instantly that there are numerous people who find themselves accountable within the inventive course of; within the making-of technique of the creative dimension of every of our objects. There may be mainly a synergy of abilities. Most likely I may have already got identified this (earlier than taking over the function)!
Anyway, every of those creatives has an affect on the creative half; you recognize that in jewelry, it’s much more apparent than in watches.
So that you knew that nobody particular person may do the job?
It’s not one one that may very well be entitled to (the complete inventive dimension) as a result of it isn’t true. The second purpose (that my job was not precisely what my title mentioned it was) was, in a means, actually to have and share a imaginative and prescient of what a Cartier object ought to be at the moment, and naturally, within the close to future, as a result of we work some years prematurely, relying on the class of things.
I’m not the inventive as a result of the inventive half is on the aspect of the designers because it has at all times been for the reason that time of Louis Cartier himself, and Jeanne Toussaint [the legendary fashion and jewellery designer]. Louis Cartier himself used to name them (the designers) the inventors.
Inform us about your portfolio as it’s at the moment, and what a typical day seems to be like for you?
So my function (at the moment) is to debate with the creatives (the inventors), in any respect levels, about which course Cartier ought to go in the direction of. (Collectively, we attempt to establish) what makes Cartier so completely different, with a historic method (for instance), and attempt to clarify why the objects had been like they had been at the moment. What was the philosophy behind these objects and the way can or does this philosophy apply at the moment. My interplay with the creatives is in any respect levels, even earlier than the design temporary.
Daily, I’ve many questions arriving on my desk. Perhaps I’ve a design head, the pinnacle of a studio, saying we’re considering of doing one thing, and what do you consider it. Or perhaps they’ve a prototype to point out me. These are the unscheduled conferences, however in fact there are many scheduled ones!
And by the best way, the fashion a part of my title contains my involvement in every little thing that’s created at Cartier, just like the structure of the shops for example. I’m additionally concerned the identical means with the architects and inside designers…I’m the hyperlink between picture and magnificence as a result of successfully the fashion of the shop is part of image-building, for instance. As a consequence, I’m additionally accountable for the cultural and creative elements of Cartier. This implies all Cartier’s hyperlinks with exterior establishments or faculties everywhere in the world. You realize, so I journey rather a lot [before Watches and Wonders Geneva 2023, Rainero was in Mexico City for a Cartier exhibition and he went to Hong Kong the week after the fair for another exhibition scheduled to open there]. My work will not be solely with the curators (of the exhibitions) but additionally the backroom half, together with contract negotiations and this form of factor. There may be additionally a everlasting part to this as a result of we’re at all times involved with some establishments, such because the Louvre in Paris, the British Museum and the Metropolitan in New York, as a result of they’ve Cartier items of their (respective) collections (and will purchase historic items now or in future).
Why is Cartier’s historical past so highly effective?
The historical past of Cartier and the manufacturing of Cartier each are so wealthy as a result of (amongst different issues) for the reason that first years of the twentieth century, we turned the primary actual (watch and jewelry Maison) on the planet. That means when it comes to innovation (by advantage of being first), sure, but additionally simply when it comes to manufacturing. We turned form of an object of curiosity for the individuals of the entire world. A century in the past, Cartier was so large that every one the opposite jewellers had been taking a look at it and calling it the ‘Agency’ as a result of it was already one thing unbelievable. We had manufacturing already in London and New York so, as I used to say, it was actually attainable for a younger man to have a world profession at Cartier within the early twentieth century. It was actually not so removed from a world firm of at the moment. We had been sending individuals to Hong Kong, to Tehran, to South America…we’ve all of the experiences of these individuals (the business experiences).
It’s unbelievable while you consider it, in order that’s why there’s a richness when it comes to manufacturing, and in addition completely different classes of merchandise as a result of Carter is so distinctive on this means…and in addition of getting that watchmaking half as equal to the jewelry half. We additionally vastly improved the making of objects of many various varieties, and it makes Cartier one of many principal actors within the ornamental arts within the utilized arts phase. There may be additionally a human dimension to this story, and I’m not referring solely to the Cartier household (in these early days) as a result of very, in a short time the household wanted lots of people to handle the corporate.
What types of persons are you referring to, and are you ever stunned by what you your self be taught concerning the model?
So they’re much less identified to the skin world however we at Cartier know them. I’m speaking concerning the administrators for London and for New York, you recognize the succession of them (and the numerous issues they did for Cartier)… For example, the assistance we gave to Charles de Gaulle throughout World Conflict II was determined by the director, not by the Cartier household. This was simply one in all many examples, together with Jeanne Toussaint [who was not a member of the Cartier family, but was appointed Director of Fine Jewellery by Louis Cartier in 1933; she remained with the firm until 1970, after the Cartier family had sold the business].
So that you realise the ability of these individuals…the artisans; it’s an unbelievable variety of individuals over time. It’s a human journey, the story of Cartier, you recognize, and that makes it so wealthy. This additionally makes it tough to apprehend every little thing about Cartier as a result of as a business entity, what we preserve in our archives is principally linked to how the corporate works and the manufacturing; that’s already essential as a result of it’s the hyperlink with the shoppers. However you recognize, of all the scale of choices taken to open a retailer or a market, we solely preserve what we’ve a authorized obligation to maintain. The data on private interactions (and the human story of the individuals who labored at Cartier), we’ve nearly nothing, or maybe we’ve just a few issues. In order that’s why I see there are numerous, many issues nonetheless to find…together with the rationale why the identify Ronde was given to this Santos mannequin [a vintage watch worn by a Cartier employee who sat in on the interview], which is definitely not spherical in any respect…I by no means obtained a solution to my query once I first joined in 1984, and I nonetheless don’t know!
Shifting to watches and jewelry, how necessary is the texture of the items versus how they appear?
In jewelry, ergonomics is vital, and in reality our imaginative and prescient when it comes to watchmaking and jewelry is linked (by this). It’s a particular talent in jewelry (or to jewelry) in contemplating how the thing will put on… it isn’t like making little sculptures, which is one thing that may come to thoughts (as being analogous). Jewelry is worn, and worn primarily by girls, and in addition at all times in movement, which has huge penalties for a way the jewellers conceive objects. This tradition (of creativity) from jewelry can be essential for watchmaking (as a result of watches are additionally worn). So if we’ve a selected (id) via our creations in watchmaking, it’s as a result of we had been a jeweller earlier than being a watchmaker.
I feel being a jeweller first additionally gave us (a level of) freedom in a means and that additionally makes it completely apparent while you consider the (preliminary) choice to go on shapes. In truth, we turned the designer of shapes when it comes to watchmaking, however there’s a complete logic there as a result of we weren’t initially a supplier of actions and we weren’t on the technical aspect; we had been a creator of lovely objects. For us, a watch was a wonderful object or needed to be a wonderful object, and that’s our imaginative and prescient and explains every little thing we do, until at the moment I feel.
What’s a Cartier watch design that challenged you?
Properly, the Ballon Bleu was for me some of the fascinating workouts I needed to face when it comes to creativity as a result of we wished a spherical watch, however sometimes Cartier, so it’s a contradiction in phrases. As a result of, you recognize, we had been born doing all shapes however spherical (and thus identified for our vary of assorted shapes, as I mentioned). Thus for Ballon Bleu, we mentioned let’s consider this design as if nothing is unimaginable; unimaginable will not be French!
So, we went ahead and the concept was to create one thing like a pebble; the good concept was to do away with the (conventional) crown) by together with it throughout the round form of the case (as a substitute of protruding because it usually does) in an area that was like a bubble. Clearly, it isn’t an everyday spherical watch as a result of it’s so weird to not have the crown current as ordinary. However the design logic is there, and the ergonomic presence of the watch, when it comes to how delicate it feels, is there. One factor I recall completely about this mannequin is the design of the bracelet, which I assumed ought to be elegant and serviceable, not including one thing else when it comes to creativity, or one other focal point.
How a lot of Cartier’s design philosophy, so far as watches go, might be tied again to 1904?
I feel while you analyze the creations, the completely different creations when it comes to watchmaking from 1904, the unique design of the Santos (from the primary piece designed in 1904, for aviator Alberto Santos-Dumont after which the manufacturing fashions in 1911) till (the designs of) 1917, and the Nineteen Twenties…it is vitally, very fascinating as a result of you have got that concept to design for the primary time an object that comprises a watch designed particularly to be worn on the wrist (as a software).
That was good as a result of earlier than that, a person may solely put on a pocket watch linked with a strap on his wrist. The premise of the design for the watch Santos-Dumont would use was a sq. form with rounded corners as a result of we had pocket watches on this fashion. However, if we create an object, it has to have aesthetical validity; the Santos-Dumont of 1904 was legitimate as an object, however for Louis Cartier and his workforce it was not similar to the purest form attainable to attain the target (of being a terrific wristwatch). So we adopted up with the Tonneau watch simply two years (1906) later, which was larger. That’s the reason it was curved, as a result of it needed to observe the curve of a wrist. If it was smaller, it may very well be flat, so in 1912, we got here up with the Tortue, which is the flat model.
5 years later, in 1917, it was the (now-famous) two parallel strains (that characterised the Tank). There may be nothing less complicated than two parallel strains that hyperlink up (the Tank Normale this 12 months harks again to this authentic Tank). In 1922, Louis Cartier himself requested to do away with that metallic between the lugs, and to simply have the 2 parallel strains and no metallic (or as little metallic exhibiting as attainable). So, in our archives, this Tank is all of the sudden known as Tank Louis Cartier. Louis Cartier personally requested to try this and to supply that mannequin, you recognize, and it was not typically like this, the place he interfered within the design course of. So if that watch bears that identify, it’s as a result of his will to switch it was very robust. The sense of purity right here is basically one thing essential, not just for Louis Cartier however for many individuals of this time. The 2 first many years of the twentieth century, that’s the place many revolutions occurred when it comes to design, artwork typically and lots of different areas, and Louis Cartier is a part of this new period.
This text was first printed on WOW Autumn Concern #70
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