Timeless Elegance: Baccarat Celebrates 260 Years

The Baccarat flagship store in Shangri-La Plaza is meant to resemble an elegant French apartment with white walls and raised panel wainscoting and black and white checkered tiled floor by the window. Of course these design elements only set the stage for what really is the star here – Baccarat’s fine crystal that glimmers and shines everywhere you look.

In celebration of their 260th anniversary, Baccarat partnered with BluPrint magazine to throw a festive holiday soirée with select friends in the architecture and interior design industry. Baccarat’s Regional Business Development Director Raymond Cheung and Business Development Manager Cora Ho presented Baccarat’s new collection by world-renowned designers such as Marcel Wanders, Philippe Starck, and Jaime Hayon.

BluPrint Editor-in-Chief Geewel Fuster help set the table underneath a dazzling Paris Chandelier designed by Stéphanie Coutas. A three-tiered Mille Nuits pastry stand held hors d’oeuvres for the guests to enjoy.

A Legacy in Crystal

Cheung gave insights to some of Baccarat’s most iconic pieces such as the Harcourt 1841 stemware. “When these glasses came out, all the kings and queens wanted them. These glasses represent power because of the weight, because of the size and the silhouette,” he points out. It was the chosen stemware of France’s first president Napoleon III, Pope John-Paul II, the Queen of Thailand and the King of Morocco.

There’s no denying Baccarat’s position as the benchmark of sophistication and all credit is due to all of their talented craftsmen to which designer Philippe Starck was quoted to saying, “Baccarat is a source of miracles, that is to say, a bit of sand, fire and the hand of man.” The crystal they produce truly is magnificent and is why they are trusted all around the world.

“For our 260th anniversary we completely renovated the Maison Baccarat Paris,” Cheung says. “This time we collaborated together with Alain Ducasse – a chef with 21 Michelin stars. So now there is a restaurant inside Maison Baccarat in Paris.”

Guests had the opportunity to see the different collections up close including Marcel Wanders’ unique spherical chandelier called Le Roi Soleil. The manipulation of the chandelier into a crystal globe makes this piece a symbol of modernity. “Over all these years we have been collaborating with different designers to balance the heritage and the traditional with the modern. These designers give us an idea of a more modern style,” adds Cheung.

Prominent Hong Kong architect Steve Leung was invited by Baccarat to reinterpret their classic Zenith Chandelier. Leung combined the French brand’s masterful savoir-faire of crystal with the intricate Chinese art of porcelain. Blue and white chinoiserie formed the interior of the lampshades. The delicate porcelain also allows you to see the design from outside when the lights are turned on.

Baccarat’s Modern Appeal

Idr. Cyndi Fernandez-Beltran, Vice President of Philippine Institute of Interior Designers (PIID), believes the new and modern collection of Baccarat is fresh. “They’re more modern and usable. They’re more adaptable to the homeowners of today. I saw their New Antique collection by Marcel Wanders – the Clochette Nomadic Lamp. Having the mobility gives it a lot of options for multi-use.”

The Clochette Nomadic Lamp is a wireless lamp that gives off mesmerizing reflections when turned on and is popularly placed on tables as a mood light. Ho was also able to demonstrate how in the near future, professionals can work with Baccarat with customizing bespoke chandeliers specific to their clients’ needs. With a special program, they can envision how their chandelier can look like by specifying its length, width, number of lights, color crystal, and style.

“I think more and more Filipino home owners are getting more sophisticated,” Idr. Rossy Rosales, Principal Designer of Hurray Design and Executive Director for Professional Development of PIID observes. “So I think the Baccarat offering of really customizing your own chandelier, your own pieces, is perfect for our clients.”

A Sparkling Heritage

It’s one thing to admire Baccarat’s pieces at face value – their crystals really do all the talking. It’s a whole other level of appreciation however when you know more of its story and provenance. “There’s a real positive market here in Manila for Baccarat. You just need to know the story. Presentations like this educate the designers as well because it will be us who will pass this story down to our clients,” was interior designer Astrid Bello’s main takeaway of the enchanting evening.

Baccarat’s stamp throughout history is indelible. Being around for 260 years is no small feat and with the brand’s continuous innovation and collaboration with designers, they will for sure be around for a lot longer.

Photographed by Jar Concengco.

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