Massimo Vitali reaches new heights as HeavenSake fetes its new launch
Launched last year, Franco-Japanese sake label HeavenSake positions itself as an alternative to champagne. Initiated by Carl Hirschmann with publisher Benjamin Eymere and Etienne Russo, founder of production company Villa Eugénie, the brand heralded its arrival with the suave and fruity Junmai Daiginjo. Now, nearly a year later, it’s debuting a new launch, which sees blend master Régis Camus (of French maison Piper-Heidsieck fame) join forces with sake house Urakasumi to create the next chapter in HeavenSake’s journey: the Junmai Ginjo.
But the founders are adamant their brand is not just about serving and drinking sake. Each launch is accompanied by a carefully staged ‘cultural event’, a series of gatherings titled ‘A Better High’. Here, the brand eschews traditional tasting rituals while celebrating multidisciplinary craft and showmanship with artistic performances, gastronomy contemporary music and fashion.
The second event in the series (produced by Russo and team Villa Eugénie, of course) was staged in the American Cathedral of Paris, and included a performance involving over 1,000 party guests. Just before midnight, attendees donned black pollution masks, to raise awareness for the ticking clock on climate change.
The scene was captured by iconic photographer Massimo Vitali – renowned for his large format images of crowds – who was elevated 5m in the air to capture the sheer scale of the scene. Illuminating the space, a dominating, large-scale faux bonsai tree centrepiece was suspended over the altar/DJ booth, paying homage to the brand’s Japanese heritage and addressing the HeavenSake team's environmental concerns.
INFORMATION
HeavenSake Junmai Ginjo, £45 for 720ml. For more information, visit the HeavenSake website
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Rosa Bertoli was born in Udine, Italy, and now lives in London. Since 2014, she has been the Design Editor of Wallpaper*, where she oversees design content for the print and online editions, as well as special editorial projects. Through her role at Wallpaper*, she has written extensively about all areas of design. Rosa has been speaker and moderator for various design talks and conferences including London Craft Week, Maison & Objet, The Italian Cultural Institute (London), Clippings, Zaha Hadid Design, Kartell and Frieze Art Fair. Rosa has been on judging panels for the Chart Architecture Award, the Dutch Design Awards and the DesignGuild Marks. She has written for numerous English and Italian language publications, and worked as a content and communication consultant for fashion and design brands.
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