#legend spoke to Bertrand Mak and Olivia Putman who brought Sauvereign By Studio Putman to Asia in a luxurious East-meets-West collaboration
A chat with Bertrand Mak
What was the inspiration behind the Sauvereign By Studio Putman collection, and how did the collaboration between Studio Putman and Sauvereign come about?
Duality, materiality, modularity, and exquisite craftsmanship. Contrary to conventions I discovered Olivia’s work before Andree’s. I have been a fan of Olivia’s designs for Lalique and Christofle, my mother has a bottle of Nina Ricci L’Air du Temps, a gift from my father. So when our mutual friend Julien introduced us in April 2022, I seized the opportunity and invited Olivia to collaborate with me for Sauvereign, despite the doom and gloom of COVID-19 in Hong Kong at the time.
What was behind the rationale of Studio Putman and Sauvereign initiating a collaboration in Hong Kong?
We did not specifically choose Hong Kong; simply it is my home and where I founded Sauvereign as the only home-grown luxury house. We will soon be introducing the collection outside of the city to cater for the growing interests and demand of our creations.
Excitingly, members of the British royal family have made an appearance during the launch of the exhibition and collection – what meaning does their presence have for this collaboration?
Lady Amelia and Eliza Spencer flew 6,000 miles from London not only for the launch of the exhibition and collection but also to show their support and appreciation for my work at Sauvereign. It was an incredible honour to have them with us and a massive validation to see them wearing and falling in love with the creations. I say it is exciting for Hong Kong, too.
Why is it important for the collection to embody an equal duality of East and West? And how challenging was it to balance the two elements?
There is only balance, not equality. It was too easy to over design and it took more courage and confidence to pare down, focus on our beliefs. We share similar design philosophies, desire the best for our collections, quality and craftsmanship are paramount without compromise, and we always want to achieve timelessness in our works.
Can you tell us more about the Queen’s Blue piece in the collection, and the inspiration behind its design?
The checkerboard motif is emblematic of Putman, I took every opportunity to incorporate this signature into our designs in one way or another. For a unique piece as the Queen’s Blue, I had to obsess over every detail taking the intricacy and preciousness to another level. Unexpectedly, the piece is both complex and minimal at the same time.
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The collection includes both classic and limited-edition Gems. What materials were used in their creation, and how were they chosen?
Gold and preciousness are the hallmarks of Sauvereign, the aspiration for both the Classic and Limited-Edition Gems was naturally to harmonise these elements with iconic Putman motifs. The Putman Mosaic Limited Edition utilises noble and precious materials including solid 18-carat gold, Onyx, Lapis, Topaz, Mother of Pearl and Chalcedony, composed in a design reminiscent of a floating mosaic. The Putman Classic Gems comprises varied combinations of 24-carat gold leaf, white gold leaf, and moon gold leaf, arranged in checkers on a uniquely-shaped Gem plate, recalling another Sauvereign signature patterns, soleil.
What was the most challenging aspect of the collaboration between Studio Putman and Sauvereign?
It was a challenge to contain Olivia’s vision within a singular object, to be precise, an art object that could be transformed and worn in multiple ways, one unique signature of Sauvereign’s. Not being able to meet in person, this long-distance collaboration required tremendous mutual trust and faith. Thankfully our tastes and aesthetic values are very aligned, as I had suspected from the beginning, which made the whole process all the more enjoyable.
The collection also includes a wall and compact mirror. What was the design process like for these objects, and how do they reflect the collaboration between the two houses?
At the genesis of the collaboration with Studio Putman, I had already envisioned home goods as part of the collection. It soon became apparent that it would be a mirror. Creative intuition and the desire to create objects of art played a large role in the design process; we also had to consider both form and function. A major pushback came from identifying the right workshops and getting their buy-in, and a fortuitous encounter led us to Venice and Arezzo where we found the masters who were able and excited to actualise our vision.
How do you see the collection fit into the wider art and luxury landscape?
The art and luxury landscape today is formed by centuries of innovation and generations of predecessors. Standing at the forefront of history and on the shoulders of giants that came before us, we have a responsibility to not only fill this landscape but more importantly to expand it. Conceived as fruit of a cross-discipline collaboration, the collection opens a door off the well-beaten path, the never-before-seen scenery of which I am excited to further discover.
What do you hope visitors took from the Dualités: Mosaic of Details exhibition, and the Sauvereign By Studio Putman collection in particular?
Both the exhibition and the collection contain many stories of Andree Putman, Olivia Putman, and Bertrand Mak. Every object came from our hearts, realised by the most talented craftsmen in the world. What comes from the heart reaches the heart; I hope our stories managed to reach the hearts of those who took the time to visit.
A chat with Olivia Putman
What was your experience like collaborating with Bertrand Mak?
It was a wonderful experience as we have so many mutual interests. We both aim for the same things: searching for the best craftsmanship, looking at details, and most of all, enjoying doing the best for our clients.
Can you tell us more about the Queen’s Blue piece in the collection, and the inspiration behind its design?
Blue is my favourite colour, it evokes the sky, sea, air, and water… I also like to play around and make little “accidents” or I call it a “wink”, just for people to wonder why a blue piece is placed among others.
What was the most challenging aspect of the collaboration between Studio Putman and Sauvereign?
At first, the most challenging aspect was to work only through weekly meetings behind our computers. I think the crisis we have been through with Covid taught us that we can work differently and make less trips, which is also a good thing for the planet. At the first meeting, I knew that it was going to be a beautiful and smooth collaboration as Bertrand is so elegant and subtle.
The collection also includes a wall and compact mirror. What was the design process like for these objects, and how do they reflect the collaboration between the two houses?
Interior architecture and design are my everyday life, so it became evident that we should develop some interior design objects together. What I think they reflect most is that creativity and design are not a question of scale – as a landscape designer, I am used to jumping between a little terrace and a big park. The most important thing is working with the right shapes, textures, and colours.
How do you see the collection fit into the wider art and luxury landscape?
The quality of the craftsmen who accompanied us bring the collection to the level of luxury. We are both ‘luxury houses’ and it happened that we made a beautiful marriage!
Photos courtesy of Sauvereign by Studio Putman
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