Rabanne x Art Basel

As I have covered time and time again here, art, more than ever, is a branding asset for luxury brands. While one could expect a form of general fatigue as the number of collaborations between brands and artists keeps ballooning, the unique story-telling ability of the pair seems to hold strong. 

Quite interestingly, the nature of the relationship even seems to be taking a new turn as Art Basel and Rabanne just officialized their collaboration this week, in collaboration with Dazed. While, up until now, brands had the upper hand in strategies serving their branding and products, this collaboration seems to be giving greater importance to the artistic partner. Additionally, rather than being an artist, it is one of the most recognized global art fairs.

This collaboration puts Rabanne and Art Basel on an equal footing and focuses on the art, rather than the product, in the shape of the Rabanne Art Factory. This project is aiming at showcasing young artists representative of the zeitgest. The six finalists are competing for a prize and the winner will be announced in December in Miami. The artists are  Buse Simon, Alice Bucknell, Elizabeth O’Brien, Lorenzo Risani, Lucy Ellis and Lola Moniz. They are all young and fairly unknown yet. 

We know what this strategy entails for Rabanne. In the words of its chief brand officer, Vincent Thilloy, “We’re building a house”. Artistic involvement allows the brand to elevate its image and products and to anchor itself in the cultural conversation beyond consumerism. Paco Rabanne, already, was deeply inspired and involved with the arts at large. In 1983, he opened Centre 57 Boulevard de la Villette to welcome and support musicians.

According to Julien Dossena, creative director of Rabanne and part of the jury, “It’s to go back to the roots, when Paco himself opened the space in the eighties, it was to offer a safe space. We thought it was interesting for us to offer a new opportunity to help new artists in their process – to give them a space and a window to exhibit.” 

Artistic inspirations are also obvious in Rabanne’s creations. The signature metal dress was inspired by Rabanne’s contemporary César, who is famous for his works in crushed and repurposed metal. The iconic singer Françoise Hardy, who just passed away, famously wore a gold and diamond dress by the designer. She perfectly embodied the ties of the brand with the art world and the aura of exclusivity Rabanne’s creation can exude. 

This partnership is part of a strategy to attract a younger, hyper audience, sensitive to story-telling and to experiential marketing. Younger consumers are not only attracted to products but to the overall value proposition of a brand. It is about a long-term relationship and engagement beyond shops, whether physical or online.

But, as underlined by Rabanne’s management, Basel is also about reaching out to the more established, deep-pocketed consumer that does not see Rabanne as a luxury Maison. It is about putting it on the map and in the minds of high net worth individuals able to buy exceptional pieces like the one wore by Hardy. 

Clearly, and as acknowledged by the brand, digital art will not be the only form that will be recognized by the brand. It makes sense now, but the partnership is a long term endeavor that aims at reflecting, sometimes igniting cultural conversations. “It will always be young artists, and it will always be linked to sub-culture,” Thilloy says.

But this partnership is also critically strategic for Art Basel. While it is still considered an insider fair, attracting people interested in art, comfortable with the codes of this exclusive world, Rabanne is an opportunity to attract a wider audience and to democratize the Art Basel brand. At the risk of alienating purists.

It opens the door for more institutionalized collaborations and more full-fledged partnerships down the line. Louis Vuitton already has a booth at Basel, and luxury is slowly but surely finding its way into the art world, further blending the lines between both industries which similarities are, and have always been, more than obvious.