Going against the flow
Chardonnay Leaf is of the works created by Vik Muniz as part of his Ruinart collaboration.
[Photo provided to China Daily]
The brand has also been pioneering in its close relationship with the art world, too. In 1896, for the first time in the history of champagne, Ruinart commissioned a talented young artist, Alphonse Mucha, to create an advert. "Art is in the house's very nature," says Dufour. "We are continuing our commitment to art by supporting major contemporary art fairs."
And that art, like the roots at Ruinart and in Muniz's project, run very deep. Ruinart partners with around 30 major art fairs around the world, and is now in its eighth year of partnership with Art Basel in Hong Kong as its Global Champagne Partner. The high-level inventory includes Art Basel (in Basel, Miami and Hong Kong), Frieze (New York and London), Paris Photo, Kyotographie, FIAC and many more.
But as with all matters Ruinart, it's already doing something way cooler than all of its immediate competitors, yet you probably wouldn't know it. "On top of the art fairs, we also support a program for young artists and established artists," explains Dufour. "Almost all of our Instagram posts, for example, show the work of young photographers that are part of our program." Who knew? Start following a three-century-old champagne company on Instagram and lo and behold, you'll discover a variety of progressive young fashion photographers such as Nastasia Dusapin and Antoine Henault.
