One of my favourite places to visit when I’m in London is The London Library in Saint James’s Square. It’s easy to miss ‒ it’s quite literally at the corner of the roundabout, and the gaze of most passersby is more likely to be drawn to the verdant garden that makes the Square.
But step inside, and the pedestrian world outside will fall away as the library presents its multitudes of worlds within.For bibliophiles such as myself, The London Library is as much a must-see as the London Eye, Buckingham Palace, The British Museum and the Tower of London.
There are two things about The London Library that might be of interest to a lifestyle magazine reader such as yourself. The first is that its current President is actress Helena Bonham Carter (yeah, of Fight Club, the Harry Potter series and Les Misérables fame). The second is that it was featured very heavily in Montblancʼs The Library Spirit campaign.
The campaign’s second chapter brings it north, from Paris, across the channel to London. And just as the campaign was first announced early this year in the booklined reception rooms of Parisian hotel La Réserve, Montblanc has chosen a similarly biblio-centric locale for its second chapter in The London Library.
The campaign spotlights the rich literary heritage of London, the birthplace of countless literary legends and luminaries. This is a city that breathes the written word. And it’s not just in Waterstones that this rings true ‒ you can find clever writing in restaurant menus, in the broadsheets, in urban guerilla posters promoting obscure plays or new releases by indie musicians.
During this campaign, the luxury Maison also took the opportunity to update its soft leather collection by incorporating new colours and shapes. The extended colour selection includes dusty grey, light brick, spicy orange, Scottish green and ottanio (petrol blue).
The resulting products are elegant yet practical pieces, with all the form and style of a runway piece, and the functionality and quality of every day-use items. This has become a hallmark of Montblanc ‒ where style and practicality meet.
This is reflected by Marco Tomasetta, Montblancʼs Artistic Director. He said of the collection, “When you travel, whether for a commute or for a long voyage, you want something that is comfortable, light and effortlessly stylish, a companion that is familiar and makes you feel at home.
That’s why we chose very soft, supple leather in original colours for this collection, and why we added new shapes that are not just practical but also sensual, fun and elegant.” In the Soft collection, functional elements such as compartments and organisation solutions are placed on the outside of each piece rather than remaining hidden on the inside, becoming part of the design.
You can see it in the collection’s outstanding large leather pieces, such as the sleek suitcase in Montblancʼs signature black leather or the black backpack with vertical zip pockets on either side of a central strap and the medium duffle in dusty grey.
Of course, there are also smaller leather assortment that includes leather wallets, a cardholder, a passport holder, a phone pouch, pen pouches and a round case to be worn over the shoulder or crossbody.
As writers, The Library Spirit campaign resonated with our editorial team. It embodies everything we love about Montblanc ‒ its rich history, its high-quality products, its adherence to a design philosophy that expertly melds the classic and the contemporary, and its status as a steadfast champion of writing and the literary arts.
(Images: Montblanc)
