Finding common ground with the Champagne house’s warm sunny hues and celebratory joy, the French designer reimagines La Grande Dame 2018.
Something special happens when pioneers in differing fields join forces for a creative collaboration; there’s a particular spark in the merging of minds, of expertise, of perspective. And when we’re talking about Veuve Clicquot and Simon Porte Jacquemus, that magic is particularly awe-inspiring.
Known for their top shelf Champagne and signature yellow bottle, Veuve Clicquot has become a household name, synonymous with both quality and celebration. Still based in its origin site of Reims, the Maison was founded in 1772 and turned into gold a few decades later by Madame Clicquot — one of the first modern businesswomen. Known within the company as “the grande dame de la Champagne,” the free-spirited innovator embedded her vibrant energy and tenacity into each bottle, and even two centuries later, her influence can be felt.
It was this story that caught the attention of French fashion designer Simon Porte Jacquemus, whose own eponymous brand was built with the memory of another strong woman: his mother. The designer, who was raised in the South of France and started his label in 2009, has become globally renowned for his refreshing colour palettes, deconstructed silhouettes, and theatrical destination runway shows — weaving together the sunshine of his upbringing with artistic references across photography, painting, sculpture, and film. His Champagne bottle design, naturally, reflects all of these pillars as well.
The limited edition design is a joyful, artistic, and intimate reinterpretation of La Grande Dame 2018, Veuve Clicquot’s prestige cuvée. Featuring a handwritten logo and signature by Jacquemus, it pulls together the unique design characteristics of each house while emphasising the common ground beneath them. The signature Veuve Clicquot yellow, a warm hue reminiscent of the sun during golden hour, feels just as at home in the Jacquemus universe; and the designer’s take on the label (embossed with sun rays) feels as authentic and classic to the bottle as it does fresh and new. Pulling everything together, the piece comes draped with a white linen embroidered with yellow calligraphy, reminiscent of fabrics freshly washed, starched, and hung in the sun to dry.
“La Grande Dame 2018 is the outcome of simple materials, meaningful gestures, and strong women’s stories,” Jacquemus himself explains. “Yet it is ultimately a celebration of – and for – optimistic and memorable moments.”
Expanding the collaboration, Jacquemus looked past the champagne itself to the experience of champagne service, designing a custom rafraîchissoir, or cooler from the 18th century. His take on the historic object features a champagne bucket and glass cooler inspired by Medici vases and adorned with personal, Mediterranean references. Manufactured only on request, customisable, and extremely limited, the pieces were designed with artisan and metalsmith expert Camille Orfèvre, who received the Meilleur Ouvrier de France award for exceptional craftsmanship.
“Beyond fashion, I have all these obsessions around design and contemporary art,” Jacquemus continues. “For Veuve Clicquot, I envisioned how people would feel the warmth, craft, and emotion in the appearance of this fine La Grande Dame 2018 vintage.”
The Limited Edition La Grande Dame 2018 by Veuve Clicquot and Simon Porte Jacquemus will be unveiled at New York Fashion Week and available to purchase in the US on September 9, after which it will be made available in the UK (exclusively at Selfridges via this link), Italy, and France.
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