Louis Vuitton 2002 Annual Report Download - page 18

requires constant maintenance by a team of
coopers; at the moment each year when it is time
to blend the various vintages, when the Krug
family composes, chord by chord, a symphony of
flavors that will give rise to a singular champagne,
and later, during the entire aging process, which
is tended with meticulous care by a team of
passionate winemakers. The constant and univer-
sally recognized quality of Krug champagnes,
their legendary taste and balance, have no expla-
nation in the 21st century other than loyalty to
a tradition and the patience of men who continue
to repeat the legendary gestures at a pace imposed
by their demand for perfection.
ACHIEVING THE QUALITY
THAT GIVES LUXURY ITS NOBILITY
Aluxury product is an exceptional product.
Whether in oenology, haute couture, the finest
leatherworking, formulating a great perfume, cut-
ting precious stones or
prestige watchmaking, our
brands continue to create
the exceptional quality they
owe to their customers and,
in doing so, give life to their
legend and remain time-
less. The Group’s uncom-
promising demand for
quality naturally extends
beyond product design and
manufacture. It is an ele-
ment of the entire life cycle
up to the time of purchase,
and includes the aesthetics
and sophistication of our
shops and product displays,
an atmosphere in which
customers are welcomed with irreproachable hos-
pitality, attention and service.
SURPASS THE PEAK OF ONE’S CRAFT
In our businesses, excellence is the first goal and,
once achieved, it must be surpassed. For example,
one can know all there is to know about cham-
pagne and discover at Krug that he still has
something to learn. When Johan-Joseph Krug
founded his House in 1843, he set a few simple
but firm rules that can be summed up in
the words “never compromise on quality”.
If the House today enjoys a reputation of being
at the peak of its craft, it is precisely because
it constantly strives to surpass its peak, at every
moment in the process: at harvest time, which
some call “a ritual”, during the initial fermenta-
tion in small oak casks, a Krug specialty that
16 • PASSIONATE ABOUT CREATIVITY, A SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPM ENT
PASSIONATE ABOUT CREATIVITY A LONG-TERM STRATEGY
SECRETS OF BEAUTY
In the secrecy of Chaumet’s
workshop in Place Vendôme
in Paris, a ring set with
precious stones requires
80 days of work. A royal
crown requires the efforts
of a team of six workers
for one month. We take our
time to craft airy, invisible
settings that enhance
the beauty of the stones,
to perform the subtle work-
manship for necklaces
and bracelets, after which
each setting on the jewelry
is attached to the next by
a thread, a prong, a clasp,
with meticulous polishing
before and after the setting.
This is the whole secret to
making jewelry with luster
and beauty. It is also the
secret of their incredible
flexibility and strength,
the pleasure and added
value which identifies
a Chaumet design both
today and yesterday,
whether it is a sumptuous
jewel or an everyday
adornment.