In a captivating first, the audacious collaboration between Hennessy X.O and fashion designer Kim Jones transcends the art of couture and the savoir-faire of cognac. The limited-edition collection features a collectible sneaker, a couture decanter and a bottle of cognac.
In this compelling collaboration – a first for both Hennessy and Kim Jones – the artistic director of men’s ready-to-wear and accessories at Dior and couture and womenswear for FENDI has drawn creative inspiration from the heritage of Hennessy X.O.
The designer joins Frank Gehry, Cai Guo-Qiang and Ridley Scott in celebrating the cultural and artistic resonance of Hennessy.
For his first creation with Hennessy, Kim Jones designed the HNY Low sneaker. Crafted in an LVMH shoe factory in Italy, the limited edition is inspired by early basketball shoes. Made of cognac-colored nubuck leather, the shoes take on a patina over time, a reference to Hennessy’s precious eaux-de-vie. The underside of the rubber sole features an imprint of cognac grape vines and the Hennessy X.O x Kim Jones logo. The initials KJ and the Hennessy bras armé emblem discreetly adorn the heel. “It’s a glass of cognac in sneaker form”, the designer says. The shoes are presented in an oak box that evokes the barrels in which the eaux-de-vie are aged, as even the packaging itself echoes the world of cognac.
Kim Jones has also revisited the Hennessy X.O Masterpiece carafe, creating a resolutely couture sculptural work. Produced using 3D printing technology and finished by hand, the carafe has been made in just 200 pieces. Like a second skin, a titanium casing encapsulates the bottle, evoking both the couture technique of draping and the way in which Hennessey bottles were carefully hand-wrapped in tissue paper at the turn of the 20th century to protect their labels.
The carafe rests on an undulating oak plateau, a nod to the barrels of precious eaux-de-vie. The Hennessy X.O Masterpiece is inspired by the making of Hennessy X.O, an art perfected by eight generations of Master Blenders. The gradient of hues in the decanter was specially selected by Kim Jones to evoke the shades of cognac. To serve this exceptional cognac without losing a drop, Kim Jones has also designed a special fusil in the same amber tones. The third and final element in the collaboration is the “ready-to-wear” version of the Hennessy X.O bottle, draped in an aluminum second skin to showcase the instantly recognizable silhouette.
To mark the launch of the collection, a video entitled The Fabric of Time features Kim Jones stepping into the Hennessy X.O universe. Created by the French trio Bleu Désert, the video is posted on the Hennessy website.
