{"id":64858,"date":"2022-09-22T15:39:25","date_gmt":"2022-09-22T15:39:25","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/graziamagazine.com\/us\/?post_type=articles&p=64858"},"modified":"2022-12-07T17:01:14","modified_gmt":"2022-12-07T17:01:14","slug":"veuve-clicquot-solaire-culture-exhibition","status":"publish","type":"articles","link":"https:\/\/graziamagazine.com\/us\/articles\/veuve-clicquot-solaire-culture-exhibition\/","title":{"rendered":"Veuve Clicquot Is Fe\u0302ting Its 250th Anniversary by Honoring Its Inspiring Namesake, Madame Clicquot"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"\"
Courtesy of Veuve Clicquot<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

When a celebration calls for some bubbly, the popping of a bottle with the yellow label is usually a reliable sign that a memorable evening is ahead. The sunny sticker stamped with an anchor emblem has come to represent Veuve Clicquot\u2019s status as a luxe champagne of the highest standard \u2014 a reputation curated and maintained for centuries. What Veuve Clicquot<\/a> connoisseurs may not know, however, is that much of what\u2019s associated with the champagne house, like that eye-catching label, crystal-clear consistency, and ros\u00e9 option, is thanks to the woman who single-handedly changed the game for the brand, and the champagne industry, Madame Clicquot.<\/p>\n

In 1805, at a time when women weren\u2019t allowed to open their own bank accounts, Madame Clicquot (n\u00e9e Barbe-Nicole Ponsardin) became a widow at age 27 after the untimely death of her husband Fran\u00e7ois Clicquot. Fran\u00e7ois shared his passion for champagne-making with his wife, and within only a few weeks of his passing, Madame Clicquot made the unprecedented decision to helm the company, which was founded by her late father-in-law, Phillippe Clicquot, in 1772.<\/p>\n

\"\"
Courtesy of Veuve Clicquot<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

For many years, the house was simply known as Clicquot Ponsardin, but as she worked on building the brand and established herself in the industry, it began to be referred to as Veuve (French for \u201cwidow\u201d) Clicquot.<\/p>\n

\u201cMadame Clicquot was truly incredible for any time period but especially in the early 1800s,\u201d Carole Bild\u00e9, the chief marketing and communications officer for Veuve Clicquot, tells GRAZIA USA<\/em>. \u201cShe was known for her innovations and how she drove the champagne industry forward. Some of her greatest legacies are the riddling table, which is a method of aging champagne that creates clarity in the wine and is still used by more than 90% of champagne brands today. She also created the first vintage champagne in 1811 and the first blended ros\u00e9 champagne in 1818 by blending white wine with red wine from her Bouzy vineyards.\u201d<\/p>\n

Long before Madame Clicquot adorned the bottles with Veuve Clicquot\u2019s instantly recognizable yellow label, founder Philippe Clicquot branded each cork with an anchor as a sign of hope and prosperity. She kept those concepts in mind as she worked hard to realize Philippe and his son Fran\u00e7ois\u2019 dream to have their product lauded internationally. \u201cI want my brand to rank first, from New York to Saint Petersburg,\u201d Madame Clicquot used to say, according to Bild\u00e9.<\/p>\n

\"\"
Courtesy of Veuve Clicquot<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The groundbreaking entrepreneur made her late loved ones\u2019 dreams a reality. Madame Clicquot overcame the continental embargo that was enacted in Europe at the time and delivered wine to Russia, where poet Alexander Pushkin, playwright Anton Chekhov and novelist Nikolai Gogol praised her champagne.<\/p>\n

The rest of Madame Clicquot\u2019s long life was dedicated to winemaking. She never remarried and spent every day working at the winery. In 1821, she hired \u00c9douard Werl\u00e9 as her associate and he became her official successor when she died in 1866. \u201cWe have had a short lineage of only 11 Cellar Masters to ensure the continuity of the brand, using techniques, blending methods, plots and more that Madame Clicquot used in her time,\u201d Bild\u00e9 says of the house, which LVHM acquired in 1986.<\/p>\n

This year, Veuve Clicquot has been busy ringing in its 250th anniversary by honoring Madame Clicquot\u2019s visionary and pioneering spirit with celebrations around the world that pay tribute to the \u201csolaire\u201d mindset<\/a>, her belief that with each new day comes new possibilities.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe kicked off the year with a new brand campaign, Good Day Sunshine, to reiterate the optimistic, joyful nature of the house,\u201d Bild\u00e9 says. \u201cWe took over the Venice Simplon-Orient-Express, a Belmond Train, in early June.\u201d The sunrise-to-sunset journey started in the Cellars of Veuve Clicquot in Reims, France, and ended in Venice, Italy.<\/p>\n

Veuve Clicquot also unveiled THE ICONS Collection<\/a> this summer, an exclusive offering of the House\u2019s most emblematic objects, all re- edited sustainably \u2014 from a presentation box<\/a> inspired by Japanese origami that opens like a flower, transforming it into an ice bucket, to a mini-fridge<\/a> redesigned in collaboration with SMEG that keeps champagne bottles chilled for hours.<\/p>\n

\"\"
Courtesy of Veuve Clicquot<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The Solaire Culture exhibit<\/a> opens in Beverly Hills on Oct. 26 and marks the finale of the year-long festivities. The traveling showcase \u2014 to be exhibited at 468 North Rodeo Drive, a space currently hosting Louis Vuitton\u2019s \u201c200 Trunks, 200 Visionaries\u201d \u2014 debuted this June in Tokyo and is set to conclude on Nov. 17.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe knew that we wanted to create something that could travel internationally. This has long been an ambition of the house and Madame Clicquot,\u201d Bild\u00e9 explains of the exhibit that is free and open to anyone over 21. \u201cWe wanted to showcase the incredibly rich heritage of the House with more than 80 archival objects and historical pieces that we have in our possession, which will be on display for visitors for the first time in the U.S.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"\"
Courtesy of Veuve Clicquot<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

\u201cMost of all,\u201d she adds, \u201cwe wanted to honor Madame Clicquot\u2019s entrepreneurial, creative spirit and further our support of women by partnering with 10 female artists to each create a unique piece inspired by Madame Clicquot and the Solaire nature of our House.\u201d<\/p>\n

French curator and art historian Camille Morineau and French designer, interior architect and scenographer Constance Guisset created the exhibit to pay homage to 250 years of the brand.<\/p>\n

For the commissioned artwork, Morineau assembled a diverse range of artists, both up-and-coming and established, such as Sheila Hicks, Tacita Dean, P\u00e9n\u00e9lope Bagieu and Moyoco Anno. She also chose women who would work differently with color and light through their techniques, including renowned Japanese artist Yayoi Kusama who reinterpreted a portrait of Madame Clicquot. \u201cIt\u2019s quite a complex project and it has taken a long time to come together, but, in my view, it is really unique and will allow visitors to have a multisensory experience while being in line with the spirit of \u2018the grande dame de la champagne,\u2019\u201d says Morineau.<\/p>\n

\"\"
Courtesy of Veuve Clicquot<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

For Guisset, working with the artists was an empowering experience. \u201cIt was fantastic to meet every artist and go deep into her mind to understand the piece and see how it would live with others, installing virtual conversations that the visitors will feel or see clearly,\u201d she explains. \u201cIt was interesting to see how they would take the challenge themselves to embody Madame Clicquot\u2019s spirit. I am always surprised how different people on the same subject always propose pieces that you would never expect. Artist\u2019s minds are always unpredictable.\u201d<\/p>\n

Though the house has a storied history, Morineau tells GRAZIA USA <\/em>she strived to ensure the exhibit isn\u2019t \u201ctoo museum-like, too classical,\u201d but instead \u201cforward-thinking, much like Madame Clicquot herself.\u201d<\/p>\n

Objects on display will include a bottle found in 2010 in the Baltic Sea from an 1840s shipwreck, an original signed letter written by Madame Clicquot, and vintage posters from the brand. \u201cIt\u2019s incredible to be face to face with this rich history,\u201d Morineau says. \u201cI found it quite interesting to see how Madame Clicquot placed an emphasis on curating relationships and organic marketing to expand her business. She was a woman far ahead of her time.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"\"
Courtesy of Veuve Clicquot<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

To build out the space and define the atmosphere, Guisset says she drew upon \u201cthe house\u2019s iconic yellow, connection to the sun, and roundness to play with effects that create a really dynamic space, light and deep at the same time.\u201d There are also touches of midnight blue throughout, which was used to keep guests\u2019 \u201cconcentration on the content and give depth to what is presented.\u201d The approach also helped control the light on very fragile documents. Guisset says one of the most exciting elements is the display of bottle labels from over the years, on which guests can see how the signature yellow hue serves as a visual emblem of the champagne brand\u2019s \u201csolaire\u201d philosophy.<\/p>\n

\"\"
Courtesy of Veuve Clicquot<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

\u201cSolaire,\u201d Morineau notes, \u201cis about bringing unbridled optimism into your endeavors, whether in art, business or everyday life.\u201d<\/p>\n

Once the 250th-anniversary festivities wrap, Bild\u00e9 says the \u201csolaire\u201d spirit will continue through the brand\u2019s other initiatives, including Bold by Veuve Clicquot, a program to improve inclusion, impact, and visibility of female entrepreneurs. The company will also increase its sustainability efforts to reach its commitment to reduce emissions 50 percent by 2030.<\/p>\n

Morineau hopes those who visit the exhibit will leave feeling inspired and optimistic. \u201cMadame Clicquot faced obstacles in relation to her age and gender, though she did not let that discourage her from taking control of the brand and leading it to success that has stood the test of time,\u201d she says. \u201cNo matter your obstacle, there is a way to achieve what you set your heart and mind to.\u201d<\/p>\n

Guisset also believes those who experience the space will feel empowered to be more daring and live in a way that puts possibility at the forefront. \u201cMadame Clicquot was not afraid to take risks and that is what made her so successful in building up Veuve Clicquot,\u201d she says. \u201cAs viewers leave, we hope they will take a piece of this with them and create audacious change in the spaces they occupy.\u201d<\/p>\n

Cheers to that!<\/p>\n

Read GRAZIA USA\u2019s Fall issue featuring cover star Nicola Peltz Beckham:<\/i><\/b><\/p>\n

<\/div>\n