St. Regis, Christofle offer Napoleonic lessons to Champagne drinkers

St. Regis Saber by Christofle handle

St. Regis Hotels & Resorts and French silversmith Christofle are giving their upscale clientele a chance to elevate even further in class – to the level of Napoleon.

Napoleon Bonaparte’s habit of opening Champagne with his saber helped birth the bottle-opening technique, which St. Regis practices across its line and which consumers can now learn with the purchase of a bespoke saber. Giving guests a keepsake that also offers creative opportunities will give St. Regis a chance to stand out in its field, while Christofle continues to link its products to more experiential offerings.

“The St. Regis Saber by Christofle honors the brand’s beloved sabering ritual, which takes place in the evenings at many of our hotels and resorts around the world and during celebratory moments such as a hotel’s opening or the win of a St. Regis polo match,” said Daphne Sipos, director of global brand management at St. Regis, New York. “It is important to create memorable experiences and special moments for St. Regis’ guests, which is exactly what our festive sabering ritual does.”

Champagne wishes
Sabrage is an evening ritual for St. Regis, taking inspiration from Napoleon’s practice and his famous quote, “Champagne: In victory, one deserves it; in defeat, one needs it.” Besides being a popular practice in Europe, the ritual welcomes new hotels into the St. Regis portfolio and is a tradition in milestone events and celebrations, with the new initiative allowing consumers a chance to partake.

St. Regis Saber by Christofle

Those who purchase St. Regis Saber by Chrisofle, retailing this fall, will be given a master class led by a trained St. Regis butler. Prices are available upon request.

In sabering a bottle, the wielder runs the blunt end of the Champagne sword along the body of the bottle, with the impact of the blade hitting the lip breaking the glass to separate the collar from the neck.

The technique works because a Champagne bottle is highly pressurized and contains two stress concentration points, on the lip and the vertical seam, with a meeting point where the strength of the glass is halved. The impact creates a crack, which vibrates through the glass, severing the top of the bottle, which is propelled by the pressure inside.

St. Regis Bangkok

A high-pressure bottle is required, meaning it should not be tried on wines or prosecco. It is advisable for the bottle to be as cold as possible.

The saber was handcrafted in Chistofle’s Normandy, France workshop and is exclusive to St. Regis. Archival images of The St. Regis New York and design attributes of other brand hotels inspired the design.

St. Regis’ signature diamond pattern adorns the handle, made of sterling silver. Brand hallmarks alluding to the first St. Regis hotel are engraved on the base.

St. Regis Saber by Christofle

Both brands will likely benefit from the partnership: Christofle gets to attach a class to its product, which on its own will function partially as keepsake for those who purchased it while staying at a St. Regis on vacation. For St. Regis, working in a more crowded sector, Christofle is a partner with similarly high-end clientele and helps to provide an inventive and memorable promotion that emphasizes its own heritage, thus standing apart from competitors.

Emphasizing the message
Creative, productive initiatives highlighting St. Regis’ heritage have recently been a significant part of the brand’s marketing strategy.

For example, since October St. Regis Hotel New York has been letting its bookish patrons peek into the building’s past.

The library of John Jacob Astor IV has been encased in the same spot since 1904 on the second floor of the St. Regis Hotel, which the Astor family opened, and its contents will be made available to the property’s guests on Thornwillow Press leather-bound Amazon Kindle readers. The offering simultaneously gives consumers a look into the hotel’s history, the life of a historical figure and a way to pass the time (see story).

For Christofle, meanwhile, the initiative continues a line of products wrapped up in the offering of an experience.

The silvermaker has been speaking recently to the changing norms of entertaining with a new self-contained set of flatware.

Christofle’s Mood is a 24-piece set of silver-plated forks, knives and spoons that fits into a specially designed egg-shaped stainless steel holder. The case of flatware is meant to blend form and function, keeping the set contained while also looking stylish (see story).

“St. Regis and Christofle are two iconic luxury brands that successfully marry their rich legacy and history with a modern sensibility,” Ms. Sipos said. “Additionally, both brands also share a passion for the art of sabrage.”

from Luxury Daily » Travel and hospitality http://www.luxurydaily.com/st-regis-and-christofle-offer-napoleonic-lessons-to-champagne-drinkers/
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