The Write Ideas
In town to launch Montblanc’s new store concept, Matthieu Dupont stops to chat with MJ Jose about the brand’s partnership with UNICEF and its enduring appeal
The concepts of innovation and heritage have always been at the heart of luxury brand Montblanc, which has been producing some of the finest writing materials since it was founded in the 1900s. The company has grown to be a multi-faceted manufacturer, having expanded its offerings to include leather goods, timepieces, and accessories. Such has prompted Montblanc to roll out an exciting new store concept at Rustan’s Makati, the first of its kind in Southeast Asia. The 110-sqm retail space brings a large selection of goods, serving as a luxurious one-stop shop for the Montblanc customer.
“Our brand has so much DNA,” enthuses Matthieu Dupont, Montblanc’s president for Southeast Asia. “We’re fortunate that we don’t have to start with a blank page whenever we’re brainstorming for a new product because there’s a rich history to review.” As a child, Dupont would often see his parents perusing the shelves of Montblanc stores, which led him to recognise the brand as a high point of reference with regard to the products it carried. “Montblanc today is a global luxury player with access to fantastic craftsmanship,” he adds. “I have always seen it as a brand with huge potential, so it’s a privilege to be part of the growth it is experiencing today.”
Due to the nature of its origin, the Montblanc brand has long championed the cause of literacy, especially for children who cannot afford basic education. Partnering with UNICEF for 13 years, Montblanc has raised over US$10 million in funding for education programmes around the world. This year, it is committed to donate three per cent of the proceeds (with a guaranteed minimum of $1.5 million) from the sale of each item in the Montblanc to support UNICEF’s literacy projects. Comprising limited edition pieces that celebrate the diversity of language, the collection’s design motif features six handwritten characters from different alphabets.
“The Montblanc and UNICEF partnership goes beyond performing well from a product perspective,” says Dupont. “Let us not forget that we can do well and that we can do good. The brand is doing very well, so it is equally important that we do good to others around us. And with the help of our fantastic customers who are ever so supportive of our projects, Montblanc is able to do both.”