Luxury Swiss watch brand, Richard Mille, joined forces in 2016 with Cyril Kongo, a street artist specialising in the urban art trend of spray-painting large and colourful letters on an array of unconventional surfaces. Kongo was commissioned to apply his art to 30 individual limited edition RM 68-01 Tourbillon Cyril Kongo watches using micro spray-painting tools. Each one is unique, and a true exemplar of pure craftsmanship. Kongo represents the universal language of graffiti, a dialect supported by the typical urban millennial.
If luxury groups team up with street artists to harness a community of millennials, it needs to be done from a genuine standpoint. There needs to be a true connection between the art pieces and the values that the brand upholds. After all, millennials are reputed for their adherence to authenticity. Endorsing renowned street artists could be a beneficial way for brands to expand their own influence over the future generations of luxury consumers.
Cover image credit: TAG Heuer
