On June 3rd 2015, Montblanc unveiled Montblanc M, its first ever design collaboration at an event in the heart of Milan. Hosted by Montblanc CEO Jérôme Lambert in the Diamond Tower overlooking the city of Milan and the Mont Blanc in the distance, guests discovered a new writing instrument that redefines the art of writing with a new aesthetic language, expressing modernity through the eyes of Marc Newson, the most influential designer of his generation.
Montblanc M brings together Newson’s trademark biomorphic style with its fluid and pure organic forms and Montblanc’s iconic design cues, resulting in a writing instrument that perfectly balances form and function. While Newson has retained distinctive design elements of a Montblanc writing instrument, Montblanc M stands out with the ingenious use of a magnet that allows the magnetic closing of the cap and barrel, and an additional snap mechanism smoothens the closure and ensures the cap remains firmly in place. The fluidity of the overall design is achieved by avoiding breaks in the pure lines of the futuristic shape, with the Montblanc Emblem made of white precious resin ultrasonically welded onto the plateau to form a perfectly flat surface, and a platinum-plated clip mounted invisibly into the cap to not interrupt the design flow.
As guests arrived inside the contemporary lounge area overlooking the Milan skyline, they embarked on an immersive journey of exploration into the universe of Montblanc, discovering the rich heritage of the Maison, its many innovations and exceptional knowhow through a display of ground-breaking pieces that have punctuated Montblanc’s
history. Giant visuals highlighting unique details of a new writing instrument, sound effects evoking the magnetic “click” of the cap closing and the elegant furnishings designed by Marc Newson referenced the upcoming unveiling of Montblanc M. Three interactive workshop stations around the space offered guests a chance to interact with master craftsmen and take part in experiences related to the art of writing: from nib grinding, nib testing to assembly. Nicolas Ouchenir, one of the world’s leading calligraphers, demonstrated his skill, creating personalized messages for guests.
As the sun set over the Alps and the Mont Blanc summit, guests were ushered from the champagne cocktail area into the elegant dining room, where they were seated at tables set with silverware, glasses and settings designed by Marc Newson. During the dinner themed around the art of contemporary design and created by Milanese superstar chef Andrea Berton, the designer joined Jérôme Lambert on stage for the much-anticipated reveal of the evening. Three giant visuals, each one representing a different detail of the side view of Montblanc M, zoomed out then converged together to form a display of the entire Montblanc M writing instrument, locking in with the distinctive click sound of the magnet. The writing instrument finally assembled, Jérôme Lambert introduced a film about the newest Montblanc writing instrument, after which the main course was served.
The evening ended with Marc Newson and VIP guests discussing the contemporary design and enjoying cocktails in the candlelit lounge.
history. Giant visuals highlighting unique details of a new writing instrument, sound effects evoking the magnetic “click” of the cap closing and the elegant furnishings designed by Marc Newson referenced the upcoming unveiling of Montblanc M. Three interactive workshop stations around the space offered guests a chance to interact with master craftsmen and take part in experiences related to the art of writing: from nib grinding, nib testing to assembly. Nicolas Ouchenir, one of the world’s leading calligraphers, demonstrated his skill, creating personalized messages for guests.
As the sun set over the Alps and the Mont Blanc summit, guests were ushered from the champagne cocktail area into the elegant dining room, where they were seated at tables set with silverware, glasses and settings designed by Marc Newson. During the dinner themed around the art of contemporary design and created by Milanese superstar chef Andrea Berton, the designer joined Jérôme Lambert on stage for the much-anticipated reveal of the evening. Three giant visuals, each one representing a different detail of the side view of Montblanc M, zoomed out then converged together to form a display of the entire Montblanc M writing instrument, locking in with the distinctive click sound of the magnet. The writing instrument finally assembled, Jérôme Lambert introduced a film about the newest Montblanc writing instrument, after which the main course was served.
The evening ended with Marc Newson and VIP guests discussing the contemporary design and enjoying cocktails in the candlelit lounge.
With this new generation of writing instruments, Montblanc continues to redefine the culture of writing and evolve its approach to craftsmanship, to create fine lifetime companions that deliver the highest quality and unexpected yet timeless cutting-edge design. Montblanc M in collaboration with Marc Newson is available in September 2015 from Montblanc boutiques worldwide. For more information, visit www.montblanc.com.
