Love them or hate them, brand collaborations are here to stay and the latest limited edition capsule from Hennessy and Kim Jones is one of the more unique pairings we’ve seen in recent memory.
In a historic first for Maison Hennessy brand, they have teamed up with Dior’s artistic director Kim Jones to drop a collection that includes an opulent gold decanter, a $1000 paid of sneakers and a limited edition bottle that is encased in an aluminium mould.
“We are thrilled to embark on a new odyssey blending cognac-making and couture with Kim Jones, a creative master of our time,” said LaurentBoillot, Hennessy CEO.
“Inspired by the emblematic personality of Hennessy X.O, Kim has developed a resolutely contemporary collection that is destined to make an impact on culture today and in the future.”
Let’s take a look at the key features of this extremely limited collection.
The Hennessy X.O Masterpiece
Described as “couture for a bottle”, the Hennessy X.O Masterpiece decanter has a subtle nod to the turn of the 20th century in its design when Hennessy bottles were delicately wrapped in tissue paper to protect the paper labels.
Fast forward to 2023 and the design process couldn’t be more different. In fact, 3D printers have even been brought in to produce the 200 Masterpieces. And while the bottle is entirely obscured from view, the cognac can be extracted using the fusil designed by Kim Jones, an elegant and playful ritual to serve a glass of the Hennessy X.O blend.
“When I saw how the vintage Hennessy bottles were wrapped, it spoke volumes to me about how precious each one is, and how they were handled. I was particularly touched by their history and the sense of how generations have dedicated their time to making each step of the process better and better. That same process also holds true with fashion,” said Kim Jones.
HNY Low by Kim Jones
Designed by Kim Jones and crafted in an LVMH-owned shoe factory in Italy, the limited edition HNY Low is inspired by early basketball shoes. It is made of a light cognac-coloured nubuck leather, a material that takes on the patina of time, a reference to the precious eaux-de-vie.
The sneakers are even presented in an oak box that revisits the barrels used to age the euax-de-vie.
They’re not going to come cheap though, with a suggested price tag of 650 euros (A$1038)
“I wanted it to be elevated and chic, to reflect both the long heritage of cognac and my own design values,” says the designer, who also transposed the curves of the Hennessy X.O bottle onto the sneaker.
“I wanted it to feel like you’re almost looking into the bottle. It’s a glass of cognac in sneaker form.”
Hennessy X.O Limited Edition ‘ready-to-wear’ version
The third element of the collaboration is the Hennessy X.O Limited Edition ‘ready-to-wear’ version of the decanter specially imagined by Kim Jones.
The Hennessy X.O bottle is encased in an aluminium second skin, its structure showcasing the signature shape of the bottle while evoking a couture silhouette.
