On 5 November, at the opening ceremony of the LVMH pavilion at the ninth China International Import Expo (hereafter “CIIE”), Charles Delapalme, President and CEO of the storied French cognac house Hennessy, shared his favourite historical photograph with guests:
Photo by Luxe.CO
The photograph dates from 1859, when a Chinese customer ordered 25 cases of fine Hennessy cognac, each containing 12 bottles, marking the beginning of a deep connection with Chinese consumers that has endured for more than 160 years. From 1872, Shanghai became the principal destination for Hennessy’s trade with China. Today, China is one of Hennessy’s largest markets worldwide.
Hennessy has, in fact, been one of the leading brands featured at the LVMH pavilion over the past seven editions of CIIE. This year, Delapalme used the opening ceremony to announce three major initiatives reinforcing the brand’s commitment to the Chinese market:
– The launch of its 2027 Lunar New Year limited editions
– Hennessy X.O’s first new advertising campaign in five years
– A comprehensive revamp of its flagship store at Shanghai’s Taikoo Li Qiantan
At Hennessy’s CIIE stand, a red Year of the Goat installation and a design language inspired by oak barrel staves brought the house’s longstanding heritage and innovative spirit vividly to life, underscoring the importance it places on the Chinese market.
Speaking to Luxe.CO at CIIE, Delapalme said that, since taking up his role in May last year, he has made three in-depth visits to the Chinese market each year. He visits restaurants, bars, parties and banquets, listening closely to consumers’ needs across different occasions, speaking with his teams and exchanging views with brand ambassadors. By understanding the brand’s fans and how they are changing, he considers how Hennessy can maintain its connection with them.
He described serving as Hennessy’s President and CEO as “a privilege. It is a great fortune to work for a house with nearly 270 years of history, exceptional quality, a rich heritage and a legendary founder. At the same time, it is a challenge. We must remain appealing to a new generation, respecting our heritage while imagining what the future might look like. That is no easy task.”
Balancing Heritage and Innovation to Bring Fresh Appeal to Iconic Products
Perhaps the most demanding part of this task is striking a “balance” across different dimensions, starting with heritage and innovation in the house’s iconic products.
Hennessy X.O offers an ideal example of this balance. Created in 1870, the legendary classic was the joint achievement of Maurice Hennessy, a fourth-generation member of the Hennessy family, and Emile Fillioux, the third-generation Master Blender.
Delapalme said, “Cognac is an extraordinary product. The taste of Hennessy cognac is incomparable, and behind it lies an extraordinary journey. But not everyone knows what makes it so exceptional. Cognac cannot be created overnight. It is the result of centuries of refining craftsmanship, brought to life by dozens, even hundreds, of artisans, each with their own expertise. Grape growing, distillation, ageing, blending and bottling all involve distinct crafts and specialists, with generations of artisans continually perfecting the art of distillation. Only when all these elements come together do you arrive at a beautiful glass of cognac.”
He stressed that the quality of the cognac in the bottle remains constant, while the pursuit of innovation never stops.
Last year, Hennessy refreshed the X.O decanter and packaging, giving it a more contemporary expression. This year, it has introduced a new visual campaign to deepen its emotional connection with consumers.
Delapalme previously spent more than two decades in luxury, holding senior positions at fashion houses including Louis Vuitton, Fendi and Dior. For X.O’s new visual campaign, he specifically invited renowned photographer Jack Davison to shoot the images. “This photographer had never worked in the spirits industry before. His background is in fashion. We were very interested to see the perspective and emotion he would bring to a tribute to this iconic product.”
“We are not trying to fundamentally change its essence, but to help people feel that it belongs in their lives today and tomorrow,” he said. “That means embracing new ideas while respecting the past, and building new forms of expression on that foundation. A brand that stops innovating will simply grow old.”
Balancing Global Reach and Local Identity: Hennessy Lives Within Each Country’s Culture
Delapalme explained, “Hennessy is a global brand in the sense that its distribution network spans 160 countries. But the reality is that, once the brand enters a country, it takes on a distinctive life within the local culture. We need to distinguish between the elements that the brand must manage centrally and the forms of expression that individual markets can shape for themselves.”
He noted that in China, Hennessy is often enjoyed with meals. In the United States, the picture is very different, with the cognac more commonly used in evening cocktails. In South Africa, it is deeply intertwined with music culture.
“It is fascinating to observe all this. And that is precisely what makes Hennessy a cultural brand: it is rooted in the cultures of individual countries.”
In China, Hennessy’s approach to localisation is particularly deep and well established.
Drawing on Chinese Culture to Create Exceptional Expressions for the World
Hennessy’s 2027 Lunar New Year creations, unveiled at CIIE, celebrate the Year of the Goat. They include The Goat Edition and three Lunar New Year limited editions created in collaboration with Chinese artist William Shen.
The former brings together eaux-de-vie from previous Years of the Goat in a Baccarat crystal decanter, with just 50 pieces available worldwide. The house also collaborated with Shu embroidery artist Diao Juan, who interpreted the design using silk threads in graduated shades of red interwoven with gold thread.
The latter draws on the auspicious Chinese saying “San Yang Kai Tai” (“Three Rams Bring Prosperity”), with festive packaging for Hennessy V.S.O.P, Hennessy X.O and Hennessy Paradis that combines traditional Chinese aesthetics with contemporary style.
The collection has two defining characteristics. First, its long development cycle. Delapalme revealed that everything from the artistic packaging to the cognac inside requires planning well in advance. “We are already preparing the collection for two years from now, because doing things well takes a great deal of time.” Second, it is created specifically for China. “These creations are designed especially for the Chinese market. There is no other market for which we commit resources on this scale.”
For the Chinese market, these products serve both festive gifting and gatherings with family and friends, while providing an important connection between Hennessy, Chinese art and traditional celebrations.
Yet these creations, “designed especially for China”, also travel the world. Delapalme said, “Our Lunar New Year collections are sold not only in China, but also through airport retail and in markets around the world, reaching overseas Chinese communities who celebrate Lunar New Year. In the United States, for example, we receive a large number of orders from local Chinese communities. In other words, what we develop in China, for China, ultimately reaches the world.”
To celebrate the Year of the Goat, Hennessy has also launched its first Lunar New Year campaign in recent years. Bringing older and younger generations together in a traditional family reunion setting, it pays tribute to the deep connection between cognac and Chinese culinary traditions, particularly in southern China, where cognac is often enjoyed alongside richly spiced dishes.
Beyond products and communications, Hennessy’s investment in retail experiences is also increasingly focused on China.
Its expansive flagship at Shanghai’s Taikoo Li Qiantan is set to reopen following a revamp. Hennessy’s first flagship store worldwide is centred on the concept of “Crafted by Men, Forged by Time“. The architectural space takes inspiration from oak barrel staves, complemented by art installations and carefully selected furnishings that express the essence of craftsmanship and the art of ageing. The store will offer personalisation services, tasting experiences, masterclasses and exclusive limited editions.
“Having our own store means we can reach consumers directly, speak with them and take full responsibility for their experience,” Delapalme said. “The spirits industry is different from fashion. Most products reach consumers through thousands upon thousands of distributors. That makes it essential to have a space where we can tell the brand’s story in full. We want consumers to feel like spending an hour here, exploring the house’s history for themselves and discovering the art of making cognac.”
Upholding Quality and Leading the Way Forward
Discussing the challenges posed by today’s changing market conditions in the cognac industry, Delapalme shared his perspective.
“I would love to find a year in the past hundred years when no one said, ‘Consumers are changing.’ Consumers have always been changing.” To respond, brands must do two things.
First, uphold quality. “Tastes may change, but people’s desire for high-quality products never will. Even younger generations can readily distinguish between something beautifully crafted and something poorly made. As a luxury house, our first responsibility is to ensure that the liquid in the bottle is of the highest possible quality.”
Second, lead the way forward. “Sometimes consumers have expectations of us. At other times, we need to create something they had never imagined, but which delights them when they discover it. We need to stay slightly ahead of people’s expectations.”
He cited X.O’s new visual campaign as an example. “This is not overtly prescriptive communication. We do not dictate how to drink it, which glass to choose or whether to add ice. It is a more open visual campaign, with softly blurred figures and evocative colours and emotions.”
Delapalme said, “I hope people’s first reaction is surprise. ‘This is different from what I imagined.’ Then perhaps they will think, ‘But I like it.’ As for why they like it, that is for each person to define.”
“Whether they belong to an older generation or a new one, everyone can find their own meaning in it.”
| Image Credit: Courtesy of the brand, except where credited to Luxe.CO
| Editor: Luxeplace
