Beyond The Sketch: Jean-Loup Glénat, Franck Muller’s Head of Design

How would you define your overarching philosophy as a head of design at Franck Muller?

When I joined Franck Muller, I spent one year just analysing the company and thinking about what I could bring to the brand. I didn’t design anything at all. The brand had been around for about 20 years at that time, but it had a rich and beautiful story, with amazing watches and complications. I understood that my work wasn’t necessarily to invent something new, but rather to continue this legacy. Sometimes, when the opportunity arises, I try to break the rules. But first and foremost for me, it is about respecting the culture and DNA of Franck Muller.

Among the major projects you overseen was the launch of the Vanguard and Curvex CX collections, which took the iconic Cintrée Curvex shape to new directions. How did you approach these creations?

It was the idea to open new doors. The Cintrée Curvex is a very unique silhouette and we wanted to use it as a platform to introduce Franck Muller to new clients. For the Vanguard, we wanted to create a collection that is both dynamic and aerodynamic. It respected the tonneau-shaped aesthetic but was explored in a very different way. As for the Curvex CX, it allowed us to reconnect with the origins of the brand. The idea for the Curvex CX was not to deviate too much from the original but to refine it in a classical way, while allowing more details to shine through. Taken together, we can see how the Cintrée Curvex shape can be expanded into two very distinct collections.

French contemporary artist, Jisbar, whom you worked with for the Vanguard Crazy Hours Jisbar, said it was a pleasure to work with your team because he was given a lot of freedom to express himself. How do you approach collaborative works?

I think it depends on the artist. There was the Dutch artist, Loes Van Delft, whom we worked with for some limited editions, who was in very close contact throughout all stages of the production, as she wanted to get our feedback every step of the way. With Jisbar, it was totally different because he worked very independently and was actually very aware of the brand, so we just let him express himself more freely.