[Interview] Cyril Vigneron, President and CEO of Cartier International

Under the direction of Cyril Vigneron, Cartier has not only made a strong return to iconic models, but also succeeded in reaching out to younger generations. No other brand has a customer base that is 65% millennial.

Cartier rejuvenated the house without changing its products

ⒸCartier

Cyril Vigneron
Born in France in 1961, he is President and CEO of Cartier International. From 1988 to 2013, he served as Managing Director of Cartier Japan, President of Richemont Japan, and Managing Director of Cartier Europe. In 14, he served as President of LVMH Japan. He has held his current position since 16. A lover of Japanese culture, he wrote "De geishas en mangas: Chroniques du Japon d'aujourd'hui" in 2009.

"When I became CEO six years ago, Cartier had launched many new products. However, I realized that consumers were looking for more than just new products; they were looking for distinctive pieces. The same can be said for jewelry. Therefore, I thought it was important to return to Cartier's iconic creations. We returned to iconic models, and through Cartier Privé, we reinterpreted pieces with legendary shapes and further enriched the Maison's tradition. We also further developed iconic models such as the Mysterious Movement and skeleton watches. This has revived interest in Cartier among the market, as well as among collectors."

　However, at the same time, Cartier has become a brand that is popular with younger generations. How did they rejuvenate themselves without changing their products?

"When I worked at Cartier 25 years ago, I have the impression that Cartier's customers in Japan were young. They were the ones who bought the Love, Tank Française, and Pasha C. As they got older, we didn't create new products aimed at younger customers. Instead of creating a new collection, we carefully considered how to communicate with and get the younger demographic to understand."

　Cartier took an unexpected approach: "When we released the Panthère de Cartier in 2016, we offered a free restoration service for older Panthère watches. The children of customers who bought Panthère watches 25 years ago in major cities like Paris, London, and Tokyo also wanted to wear the same watches, but were hesitant to spend money on repairs and maintenance. By offering this restoration service, the daughters were able to wear the Panthère they inherited, and their mothers were able to get a new Panthère with diamonds. Cartier has become a brand for women aged 25, as well as women aged 45 to 50."

　Price was also an important factor: "Living is so expensive these days, so we wanted to make sure our new products were priced competitively and fairly."

　Cartier has dramatically transformed its image in just a few years. Vigneron says, "Cartier is a younger maison than you might think. We have rejuvenated the maison without changing its products."