You can never go wrong with black
“THE SYMBOLISM of black as a color for clothing seems stronger and longer lasting than that of any color except white — and black maintains its edge because of its standard connotations of the sinister,” wrote Anne Hollander in her seminal work Seeing Through Clothes, a discussion of fashion and its representation and symbolism in art and society.
Luxury brand Montblanc seems to agree, launching a collection called Ultrablack. A statement from the brand reads, “Black is the absolute of all colors, statement of infinite beauty and exceptional design in luxury.” The same statement points out that ebonite (a type of hard rubber) was used as the main ingredient in the production of Montblanc’s original writing instruments, and one of only two colors in the company’s emblem, created in 1913.
In a press conference on Sept. 29, the brand introduced the collection consisting of the Montblanc Ultrablack Leather Collection, the Montblanc Starwalker Ultrablack Writing Instruments, and the Montblanc 1858 Geosphere Ultrablack Watch. The company also delves into electronics with a smartwatch (the Montblanc Summit Lite Aluminum Leather Strap x Montblanc Ultrablack Collection), headphones (the Montblanc MB 01 Over-Ear Headphones x Montblanc Ultrablack Collection), and augmented paper (Montblanc Augmented Paper x Montblanc Ultrablack Collection).
The Ultrablack Leather collection consists of a backpack, a clutch, and a Mini Folio. The bags feature an embossed pattern made of the letter M, and comes in all black. A new expression of the iconic Montblanc emblem takes the iconic star from decorative element to a functional feature of the design, technical, tactile, and playful in anodized aluminium. The emblem closure becomes a distinctive element and allows for easy opening. The Backpack is equipped with exterior and interior pockets including a padded compartment for a laptop; the Clutch and the Mini Folio can be hand-carried or worn cross-body thanks to the detachable shoulder strap.
The Montblanc Starwalker Ultrablack Writing Instruments feature a Montblanc emblem that seems to float in mid-air on a grey base. The line-up includes a Precious Resin edition in all-black with contrasting metal fittings, and a Doué edition with a black resin barrel paired with a metal cap or forepart. Each edition is available as a fountain pen, ballpoint, and fineliner pen.
The watch, in turn, features the Manufacture Worldtime complication with two turning domed hemisphere globes which make a full rotation in 24 hours, providing an instinctive way of reading different time zones. This timepiece comes in a distinctive, black-coated steel case with a special satin finishing, achieved by manual washing and brushing. The 1858 Geosphere UltraBlack glows in the dark as the cathedral-shaped hands, the indexes, the compass indications, and the hemisphere globes are all coated by hand with white SuperLumiNova. On the caseback is engraved a drawing of the Mont Blanc mountain, two crossing ice picks and a compass surrounded by all seven summits, namely Mount-Everest, Aconcagua, Denali, Kilimanjaro, Elbrus, Vinson, Puncak Jaya.
In a different configuration, the smartwatch’s all-black lightweight 43mm case is crafted from recycled aluminium, and the original Montblanc M_Gram 4810 M pattern is embossed on the black leather strap. The watch features a special UltraBlack color watch face. The first smartwatch for the brand was crafted in 2017.
As for the headphones, they feature sleek metal and leather finishes, and the Montblanc M_Gram 4810 M pattern embossed on the silicone ear cups. The first headphones for the company were released just last year.
Finally, the company being known for its writing instruments, the Montblanc Augmented Paper makes it possible to transfer notes written by hand to a mobile device and translated into digital text. The fact that it comes within an embossed black leather envelope only adds to its appeal.
“Black has been the DNA of the maison since its inception in 1906. It’s iconic to the brand,” said Benjamin Goh, Regional Marketing Director of Montblanc Southeast Asia during the press conference. “I think black is a timeless color. If we interpret it in a different way, we’re looking to launch a timeless collection.
“It goes well with anything,” he said. “You can never go wrong with black.” — Joseph L. Garcia
