Following the success of 2012's 'Modern Gentleman' project, an ambitious, collaborative effort that saw Glenmorangie and Wallpaper* teaming up to encourage craftspeople to create a collection of one-off, whisky-inspired furniture, lighting and accessories, Wallpaper* and Glenmorangie has joined forces once again.
Six designers from our young, global talent roster were asked to submit three Glenmorangie glorifier creations. The brief? To enhance the visibility and desirability of both the Glenmorangie 18 Years Old and Signet expressions of whisky, either on or behind the bar, or on a table in an Asian 'on-trade' venue.
It was, said David White, Glenmorangie’s Marketing & Communications Director 'a project that brings together Glenmorangie's passion, craft and innovation with the design flair and dynamism of Wallpaper*'.
After the prototypes had been posted on our respective websites, we asked the combined Glenmorangie and Wallpaper* publics to vote on Facebook for their favourite six designs from the original 18. The result is a collection of provocative and imaginative glorifiers of rare quality, wit and impact. From the six pieces, Glenmorangie has selected its favourite - an extraordinary wood relief confection design by Rolando Rodriguez-Leal of Aidia Studio that will be put into production for use behind cocktail bars and on lounge tables all over the world.
Now, for the first time, Wallpaper* presents the final six glorifiers…in all their glory.
Each of the designers produced three sketches, from which readers voted for their favourites. The final six pieces were then produced and shot for the issue. Glenmorangie also picked out a winning design, which will now put it into production for use behind cocktail bars and on lounge tables all over the world...
The winning design: ‘Glorifer three’, by Rolando Rodriguez-Leal
A design partner at Aidia Studio, Rodriguez-Leal played with the contour-like, sculpted grain of oak, which is exagerated by the curved glass of the bottles. ‘The hues of the wood and the whisky become one,’ he says
‘Back lit’, by John Green
An award-winning designer of furniture and lifestyle products, Green created a glorifer that employs American oak, opal and LED back-lit glass to create a sense of both tradition and innovation.
‘Brass frost’, by Sara Bernardi
Architect Bernardi’s glorifer comprises a folded brass sheet and a frosted glass base. The complex and asymmetric geometry reflects the sophisticated and distinctive taste of the 18 Years Old Glenmorangie whisky.
Left: ‘Lasting favour’, by Mr Sheep
Industrial designer Mr Sheep, aka John Yide Yang, laid out his bottles horizontally, like whisky barrels, on a glass base, echoing Glenmorangie’s process of maturing and then extra-maturing its whisky to draw out the lasting favours and layers of taste.
Right: ‘Dark oak’, by Kenyon Yeh
Kenyon Yeh Studio focuses on furniture, lighting and product design. To highlight Glenmorangie’s signature orange hue, the oak base of Yeh’s glorifer is connected to a copper crown by a copper tube; the crown animates gently when the display encounters vibration.
‘Cradle’, by Brendan Keim
Keim’s work shows a love of woodworking, often combined with interactive electronics. His ‘Cradle’ glorifer features a resting bottle on a grid of metal rods, each signifying a year of the Glenmorangie distillery’s history (it was founded in 1843).
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