Hublot and Italia Independent sprend the trend in Paris
As the first men’s catwalks get under way for Fashion Week in Paris, Hublot has invited the fashion world to the Palais de Tokyo. Within the walls of Monsieur Bleu, at 8 p.m., Hublot and Italia Independent officially launched BIG BANG UNICO ITALIA INDEPENDENT. Two tribes that share more than just codes and values. Nobody could fault the style of these objects that are visibly more than accessories. The evening continued by the Seine, under the gaze of the Eiffel Tower, accompanied by the live beats of virtuoso DJ Michaël Canitrot’.
At first glance, Jean-Claude Biver and Lapo Elkann seem very different and yet, when you hear them speak, the fundamentals are the same. They both understand that you need to communicate an emotion to customers. They work in tandem, with faithful friendships. They have surrounded themselves with the best and have a powerful ability to inspire loyalty in those around them, making people from strikingly different backgrounds work together. They are both very sensitive and creative. They have an ease with words which is frank and spontaneous. They have, in spite of themselves, become popular public figures who are recognized in the street and greeted like friends.
“2015 is promising to be an exciting year for Hublot. There was an instant connection when we met Lapo with Jean-Claude Biver in 2011 as we began our collaboration with Ferrari. His personality, his style and his creativity are incredible. I am thrilled by this opportunity to work together which offers so many synergies. I am proud that Lapo has chosen Hublot. We are going to achieve great things together!”
Ricardo Guadalupe
The two houses have come together for much more than one shared project. As if the glasses and watch combination was just a starting point. These two think tanks have given rise to BIG BANG UNICO ITALIA INDEPENDENT and its pair of matching glasses. Both covered in Texalium®, an original material, exclusive to Maison Hublot.
Decoding an essential agreement of styles
When you combine the expertise of a master of materials with the creativity of a master of style, the result is a 45 mm diameter timepiece in Texalium®, which is bright, shining blue, on a denim bracelet pierced with titanium studs. An interchangeable strap with a “One Click” system. The watch comes with a perfectly matching pair of sunglasses. Dressed in blue or grey, both in a limited edition of 500, you cannot fault either for style. A high-tech item with a UNICO movement and a smart casual style, BIG BANG UNICO ITALIA INDEPENDENT goes with anything without ever going unnoticed.
As part of its ongoing quest for innovative and creative materials, Hublot has added Texalium to its Art of Fusion portfolio. By combining carbon fiber and aluminum, this composite material can be made in any hue imaginable with a spectacular shine effect. Last but not least, it maintains the primary asset of carbon fiber: its lightness.
HUBLOT – Jean-Claude Biver & Ricardo Guadalupe
The two men have known each other for more than twenty years and can communicate almost without words. It must be said that this is not the first time they have worked together, and this is not their first triumph. The first calls the second the boss. As partners who complement each other well, they re-launched Hublot in 2005 with the Big Bang model. The time keeper has now been an icon for 10 years. BIG BANG UNICO ITALIA INDEPENDENT is one of the anniversary models.
ITALIA INDEPENDENT – Lapo Elkann & Andrea Tessitore
A creative entrepreneur, designer and style icon, Lapo Elkann, displays his “independent” spirit all the way down to his tattoos. In 2007, he founded Italia Independent with friends dating back more than twenty years, Andrea Tessitore and Giovanni Accongiagioco. A brand of style and creativity, bespoke luxury without a logo, which claims independence as its hallmark. Lapo Elkann, in sneakers or in a tuxedo, marries trends without any errors in taste, and is frequently named one of the most elegant men in the world.
UNICO Movement
Designed, developed, produced and assembled by Hublot’s micro-mechanics, engineers and watchmakers. A Flyback chronograph (that can be reset at any time) that is unique in the watch-making industry, with two push buttons, date display, a dual clutch mechanism and a “column wheel’ that can be seen from the dial side. The hour hand is driven directly by the barrel and mechanisms of the chronograph without a spring: increasing both reliability and durability. The pallet fork and the escape wheel are made from silicon—ensuring performance, as they are lighter—fixed on a removable platform escapement. 330 components. 4 Hz frequency (28,800 a/h), 72 hour power reserve.
