Mortlach announced Philippe Starck as the whisky brand's first creative director.
Famous for having developed the spaceship-esque Juicy Salif citrus juicer for Alessi and Louis XIV-inspired transparent chair for Kartell, the French designer has been a stalwart of the industry for over six decades.
The polymath has applied his shrewd savoir-faire and idiosyncratic sensibility to everything from hotel interiors and furniture collections to yachts, entire buildings, and even the International Space Station. His bold, often eclectic, aesthetic is matched by his mastery of material and engineering. Paradigm-shifting propositions like the 1990 Tabouret WW have pushed us to rethink how we interact and utilise the everyday objects around us. In this case, one is invited to lean-against rather than sit-on a bar stool.
Philippe Starck and Mortlach Whisky
With the announcement of his appointment as Mortlach Whisky creative director during this year’s Miami Art Week, it’s clear that there’s no limit to Starck’s scope of influence. 'I feel more like a semiologist (the study of signs, processes, and meaning-making),' he says. 'That's why I can work on so many different things. I make everything. Regardless of whether or not I’m developing a chair or a boat, it's always the same process: what is the legitimation of something existing or that doesn't exist yet and how can I help it come to life.'
With an inaugural collection debuting in spring 2024 and other endeavours underway, the revered talent will tap into that critical approach when helping to guide various product concepts and creative ventures. The new partnership centres on both the designer and brand’s ability to push new boundaries and promote continuous transformation; challenging the conventional uses of raw material as much as storytelling.
'The refinement of whisky over time stems from empirical intelligence,' Starck adds. 'It all started with one fibre, a rotten seed, water, and heat but over time became better and better. It was a natural evolution.' In many ways, the improvement of this spirit is similar to the ongoing advancement of product design and architecture. It all comes down to trial and error.
'One of the most visionary contemporary creators, Philippe Starck, joins Mortlach as our true partner and we are proud to be the first Scotch whisky brand he has ever worked with,' says Pedro Mendonça, Diageo’s (Mortlach’s parent company) Global Reserve Managing Director. 'Together we will venture into creative new heights, reinventing what whisky will represent to a generation, reimagining and rebuilding the spirit of Mortlach.'
The boutique producer has long seen the design as the perfect industry to tap for unique and consequential collaborations. Over the past few years, The 200-year-old brand has developed numerous projects with various like-minded talents and companies.
