Bottoms up: Ross Lovegrove redesigns Mumm's Grand Cordon

In 1876, Georges Hermann Mumm decorated the bottles for his namesake champagne brand with a red sash, inspired by the French Legion D’Honneur’s ‘Grand Cordon’. Mumm chose France’s highest civilian award to celebrate his product, a sign which is still at the core of the brand’s identity.

To celebrate the design’s 140th anniversary, the company enlisted Ross Lovegrove, who was tasked with reinventing the Mumm Grand Cordon while keeping its identity alive.

Dubbed the ‘ultimate icon of celebration’, the iconic bottle gets a rather revolutionary makeover for a champagne product. Lovegrove got rid of the traditional label, printing the emblem and logos directly on the glass; while another new feature is the bottle’s peculiar neck (longer than a normal champagne vessel’s), designed to complement the aromas of the Cordon Rouge Cuvée.

But Lovegrove’s biggest design revolution lies in the construction of the bottle: the sash takes centre stage, becoming a three-dimensional feature embossed into the glass. A technological feat, the new cordon looks back at the origins of the design, while giving it a contemporary, respectful makeover. ‘As a Welsh guy,’ comments Lovegrove, ‘I wanted to shake up an icon of French luxury.’ Mission accomplished.

INFORMATION

Photography: Michael Ainscough