Cognac, France
“There is a complexity, process, and structure to cognac, just as there is in architecture,” says Daniel Libeskind.
“I am inspired by the interplay of history and the future — particular magic happens when the two come together. And I relish bringing a myriad of ideas from different areas to the design process because I believe it elevates and brings new meaning to design.”
Daniel Libeskind principal design architect for Studio Libeskind has designed a new cognac bottle as an exceptional tribute to Richard Hennessy and the cognac company’s 250-year history.
The angular external shape of the decanter surrounds a curved internal form reminiscent of a traditional cognac bottle.
The roots of the Hennessy saga reach back to 1765 when founder Richard Hennessy — an Irishman enlisted in the army of the French King Louis XV — resolved to take his destiny in hand and forge his own path.
His son, James, established the Hennessy family’s partnership with the Fillioux family of Master Blenders.
That move would prove prescient: Hennessy’s reputation flourished, its reserves of remarkable eau-de-vie grew, and the House’s cognacs soon made their way to the royal courts of Europe and beyond.
For the decanter’s design, Libeskind immersed himself in the richness of history and dedication to craft to design a bottle that is as visionary as the man who inspired it.
To capture Maison Hennessy’s spirit, Libeskind started with a classic cognac bottle shape, imbuing the geometric, crystalline forms of Baccarat crystal with soft, organic curves that bring new energy and complexity to the cognac it contains.
The result is at once intuitive and unexpected: an iconic bottle design that pays tribute to the legacy of Richard Hennessy.
“I started with the classic Hennessy bottle shape, but I wanted to push the boundary of the design,” Libeskind explains.
“The result was to insert the soft curved shape within the crystalline form that echoes the spirit of Richard Hennessy,” he continues.
“The juxtaposition of the organic curves with the bold geometric form of the silhouette gives a new energy and complexity to the liquid inside.”
With the decanter, Libeskind also designed the coffret and additional accessories, which will be released by Maison Hennessy later this month.
Project: Daniel Libeskind for Maison Hennessy
Architects: Studio Daniel Libeskind
Client: Maison Hennessy/LVMH Group
