Luxury cognac maker Hennessy has entered the realm of fashion through a collaboration with British designer Kim Jones in the form of a sneaker. The project is the coming together of Hennessy X.O’s 150-year heritage and the fashion designer’s creative vision. Apart from the spirit maker’s first pair of sneakers, it also features an X.O Masterpiece decanter and a limited-edition bottle.

The pair of HNY Low sneakers was crafted in LVMH’s shoe factory in Italy and Jones was inspired by early basketball shoes. To draw reference to the X.O’s signature hue, the shoes also took on a similar shade in nubuck leather, a material that takes on a patina as it ages and a reference to the precious eaux-de-vie. According to Jones, he describes the footwear as “a glass of cognac in sneaker form”. On the underside of its rubber sole, an imprint of cognac grape vines and the Hennessy X.O x Kim Jones logos could also be seen. Elsewhere, on the sneakers’ heel, Jones’ initials “KJ” and the Hennessey bras armé emblem are discreetly adorned.

• READ MORE: Understanding Cognac: The Spirit and Lifeblood of France

The limited-edition, sculptural Hennessy X.O Masterpiece carafe is another result of the partnership. Using 3D printing technology and finished by hand, just 200 were created. The designer describes the carafe as “like a piece of personalised couture for a bottle,” showing how people and technology can come together to create something special. The Hennessy X.O Limited Edition “ready-to-wear” version of the carafe that Jones created is the third component of the cooperation. The Hennessy X.O bottle is covered in an aluminium second skin whose design highlights the bottle’s distinctive shape while recalling a haute couture silhouette. The limited-edition bottle is the last element of the Hennessy X.O x Kim Jones collaboration, and it truly embodies the fusion of fashion and culture with quality and legacy.

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Jones is the fourth creative to work with the house of Hennessy after Frank Gehry, Cai Guo-Qiang and Ridley Scott. The designer shares, “I’m fascinated by the rich heritage of Hennessy, a household name behind which artisans have spent hundreds of years creating this special cognac.”

“Storytelling is very important for me regardless of what I’m designing or who I’m collaborating with — I want my designs to educate and inspire people through the stories they tell.”

CEO Laurent Boillot further shares that “We are thrilled to embark on a new odyssey, blending cognac-making and couture with Kim Jones, a creative master of our time.”

“Inspired by the emblematic personality of Hennessy X.O, Kim has developed a resolutely contemporary collection that is destined to make an impact on culture today and in the future.”

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