His vision was to transform the peripheral heritage brand, into the brand of the moment while salvaging the effects of the polarising “Not Your Mother’s Tiffany,” campaign. The little blue box’s creator was named the leading portfolio company driving LVMH’s overall growth (according to Euromonitor and Rapaport), reporting a gasp-worthy 18% year-on-year increase in revenue since 2022. Undeniably, Tiffany’s audible presence in the cultural conversation, has translated into financial success post-acquisition.
Commencing his reign of revolutionary repositioning, Arnault placed Beyoncé wearing 128.54 carats worth of the Tiffany Diamond and a Jean Schlumberger’s Bird on a Rock brooch perching on Jay-Z, before a backdrop that allegedly won The Carters over for the collaboration. Basquiat’s 1982 Equals Pi, a piece created at the height of his career, coincidently or not, featuring a peculiar robin-egg shade of blue – Tiffany Blue®. The aforementioned “About Love,” campaign single-handedly placed the 186-year-old brand back on the map, capturing the market segments that Tiffany desired most, millennials and Gen Z.
Further tapping into said market segments’ currency of “cool,” corresponded to delving into the realm of sneakers. Its collaboration with Nike, featured the swoosh in Tiffany Blue® on the sides of the Air Force 1 and an engraved sliver plaque at the heel. If coveted, a sterling silver cleaning brush, three shoe lace colourways and a whistle would nestle in the specially designed shoebox. Having witnessed previously successful collaborations with sister LVMH companies, such as Dior and the sneaker veteran, the high-low partnership was envisioned to be a bulletproof positioning strategy. The limited-edition sneaker was sold out in an instant, albeit subject to creative controversy in terms of its design.
Fully implementing the allure of a scarcity-based strategy, the jeweller commemorated its longstanding relationship with Patek Phillipe with an exclusive 170-pieces of the Nautilus watch, portraying a Tiffany Blue® glazed dial. Similarly, Spring 2022 saw a Fendi X Tiffany capsule collection of the iconic Baguette, a piece that has become synonymous with the Italian luxury Maison. The rationale behind the collaboration was to showcase the partners’ unrivalled craftsmanship legacies. Floral detailing and leather meets hardware would do just that.
In his most recent endeavour, Alexandre oversaw Tiffany’s first New York flagship store renovation since 1940 by the distinguished Peter Marino. Newly coined, “The Landmark,” is part-shop, part-museum and part-restaurant where one can, quite literally, have breakfast at Tiffany’s by renowned Chef Daniel Boulud. It is host to the brand’s most exclusive High Jewelry collection, and offers an immersive art experience through showcasing modern art’s finest including Anna Weyant, Daniel Arsham and Rashid Johnson’s interpretations of the infamous pantone shade. Perhaps, the contemporary hue of Tiffany Blue is embedded in its courage to explore unchartered territories through collaboration, in its use of “hype” surrounding the notion of limited edition and in its ability to seamlessly meld within the cultural zeitgeist. No longer reserved as a conversation filler or afterthought, rather the subject of conversation in its entirety.
ALSO READ: THE BRIDAL JEWELRY PLAYBOOK, MATCHING SILHOUETTES, NOT PRECONCEIVED SETS.
