Saint-Louis Launches Répertoire
Unrivalled, dense, clear, sonorous, and luminous, born of a ball of fire and the breath of man, Saint-Louis crystal vibrates with the immense talent inherited from history and the extraordinary creative fantasy inspired by current trends.
In 1767, King Louis XV allowed the construction of a new glassware manufacture at the same location of the 16th century Münzthal glassware manufacture. His majesty conferred the new manufacture the title of Royal Glassware of Saint-Louis. Fifteen years later, with the development of first formula to create crystal, the manufacture became the Royal Cristallerie of Saint-Louis.
Since then, Saint-Louis has expanded to produce everyday crystal creations – lighting, tableware, decoration pieces and furniture – crafted by master glassblowers and cutters considered to be among the very best in France (“Meilleurs Ouvriers de France”). All possess irreplaceable knowledge and ancestral skills that have been enriched from generation to generation: crystal is mouthblown, hand-cut, hand-engraved and hand-decorated using 24-carat gold or platinum. Using these skills, these artisans made Saint-Louis the master of colors and cuts. With a range of over 10 shades, either mass-colored or cased, and a multiplicity of cuttings from the emblematic diamond cut, to bevels to pearl, olive, star and cord cuts, the brand offers a large variety of styles and exceptional creations. Saint-Louis is truly a manufacture of its time, a blend of tradition and innovation that never ceases to draw inspiration from contemporary artistic trends to renew and shape its identity. In the wave of creativity that swept through the early 20th century, between Art Nouveau and Art Deco, external designers brought their talents to bear at Saint-Louis, artists such as Paul Nicolas, Jean Sala, Jean Luce, Michel Colle, and Maurice Dufrêne, to name but a few.
Today, Saint-Louis continues to call on the imagination and skills of designers who open the way to new uses for crystal – and so the tableware, decorative objects and lighting collections are enriched by the creations of Eric Gizard, Hervé van der Straeten, Ionna Vautrin, José Lévy, Kiki van Eijk, Noé Duchaufour-Lawrance, Paola Navone. Objects that aim to magnify happy and convivial times.
To mark the 440th anniversary of its Manufacture, Saint-Louis is celebrating its abundant glossary of decorative patterns that so distinctively characterize its deep-cut crystal signature. This festive collection brings together the cutting style and techniques, so emblematic of Saint-Louis and inscribed into its history since its inception in 1586. For the very first time, the Manufacture launches a capsule collection, Répertoire, which will see two tumblers presented side by side. One carefully crafted with a signature Heritage cut whilst the other has been ornamented with an exclusive new cut. For this first special edition, Saint-Louis has chosen to honour bevel cutting, the style synonymous with the Manufacture’s rich heritage, which is constantly reinvented and continually reaffirming its modernity. A small gift box to share a great story.
Since its inception, Saint-Louis has played with cutting styles to create new designs, championing the concept of “combinatorics” - the art of combining, assembling, and reassembling various cuts to create new patterns. Since the late nineteenth century, these most-treasured cuts have been registered in precious directories housed within the Manufacture’s archives, serving as both a source of inspiration and creative material for new ideas.
With the Répertoire collection, Saint-Louis opens a new chapter for lovers of cut crystal by offering a set of two tumblers featuring different bevelled designs.
The bevel is one of the first patterns that the Saint-Louis crystal cutters learn and master. Deceptively simple, bevelling requires a precise and meticulous hand to ensure a clean, regular and straight line.
The Heritage Cut tumbler pays homage to item No. 5775, listed in one of the Manufacture’s directories. Chosen for its seeming simplicity, it demonstrates an unparalleled mastery through the regularity of its tight incisions.
The “new cut” tumbler—catalogued as No. 11854—honors the historic pattern while offering a fresh take on it. The bevel is dramatically doubled, creating a design that wraps around the tumbler all the way to the rim.
A gold line haloes the two glasses.
