In which we highlight those luxury brands who are aging very gracefully, and very successfully.
Well, many of us dread growing old, but old age is a triumph of life. It’s pointless not to acknowledge the passing of time is predestined, and of course inevitable. (Shoulder shrug/deep sigh.)
Luxury branding is unusual in this metaphysical sense. Their ‘birth’ is more crucial to brand marketing than most.
‘Founded in...', 'Established in...', 'Since...' are core features of many luxury logo designs.
Like humans, wise luxury brands have to keep doing things that give their purpose and existence a meaning. It certainly keeps marketing departments and London branding agencies on their toes.
With luxury branding this means a continued devotion and ways to express craft, design, style, convenience, status, environment, creativity, founder vision etc.
But more than most businesses, their age/historic milestones are often a significant part of the luxury branding story. Creating a vital present from a sepia past is always the luxury legacy brand marketer’s challenge.
Image Credit: www.stockvault.net/photo/191061/rolls-royce
Truly, existentialist marketing.
Because luxury brand marketers have to ask continually: Why do we exist? Why are we here? What greater purpose do we serve? What does our history mean? How do we remain relevant now? And other company-soul searching questions.
Here are some that profitably understand how old can mean energy, positivity, relevance through being vintage, style, culture, family, classic…and brilliantly marry it all with contemporary innovation.
Yves Saint Laurent
Founded in 1962 by Yves Saint Laurent and his partner, Pierre Bergé, YSL, is a French luxury fashion house specialising in haute couture, ready-to-wear, leather accessories, and footwear.
Valentino
Founded in 1960, Valentino is an Italian luxury fashion house with Haute Couture, Prêt-à-Porter lines and accessories that include shoes, bags, small leather goods, eyewear, scarves, ties and fragrances.
Givenchy
Founded in 1952 by designer Hubert de Givenchy, Givenchy is the French luxury haute couture, ready-to-wear clothing, accessories, perfumes and cosmetics house.
Dior
Founded in 1946 by Christian Dior this European multinational luxury fashion house sells only shoes and clothing that can only be bought in Dior stores.
Nina Ricci
Founded in 1932 by Maria Nina Ricci and her son Robert in Paris. An haute couture and perfume house.
Image credit: ninaricci.com/en-ww/fragrance/product/nina-rouge
Prada
Mario Prada founded the house of Prada in 1913 and started his business by only selling leather goods. He originally sold English leather goods, before the brand started to produce its own leather items.
Chanel
The French luxury brand was founded by Gabrielle Coco Chanel in 1909. She started her business with hat making, but soon branched out into making comfortable clothing for women – a real revolution at the time.
Hermès
Established in 1837 by Thierry Hermès. The designer originally produced saddles and other equestrian supplies. The first unofficial Hermès bag, which was purely designed as an addition to their riding supplies, was advertised for carrying saddles.
Image credit: Omega Speedmaster , A Collected Man
Omega
Set up in 1848 by Louis Brandt in La Chaux-de-Fonds, Switzerland, Omega has been delivering luxury watches to horologists and collectors for decades. The brand owes its reputation to the innovative techniques and incredible design used to deliver each timepiece.
Porsche
Ferdinand Porsche founded the company in 1931. One of the most valuable luxury and premium brands in the world, German automobile maker Porsche is renowned for its superior quality and world-class sports car manufacturing.
Louis Vuitton
The French fashion house was founded in 1854 by Louis Vuitton. The French designer started his business with trunks made from canvas bearing the brand’s iconic monogram print.
Prada
In 1913, Mario Prada and his brother Martino opened the first store in Milan, where they sold a range of products — most of which were imported from England — such as leather goods, handbags and steamer trunks.
Image credit: bulgari.com/en-gb/
Bulgari
In 1884, Greek silversmith Sotirios Voulgaris, who later changed his name to Sotirio Bulgari, founded the luxury brand. Over the years, it went on to be known for its signature jewellery crafted in gold and silver, striking colour combinations and distinct motifs inspired by the company’s Roman heritage.
Gucci
Gucci began as a luggage manufacturer for Italy’s elite in Florence in 1921. Named after its founder Guccio Gucci, the label produces handbags, ready-to-wear outfits, shoes, accessories, makeup products, and fragrances.
Anew
Founded in 2016, a London branding agency, its two founders produce insight from market research, strategic brand thinking, new brand names, luxury logo design, messaging, online and offline content, coffee table books, or luxury brand websites. They help companies increase brand profitability through sharper insights, distinctive propositions, creative ideas and faultless execution.
And they only have a few grey hairs.
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