Could Tiffany & Co. win over Gen Z by trading robin’s egg blue for yellow? LVMH’s jewellery brand takes on Cartier in China

Jul 2 , 2021

Tiffany & Co.’s yellow pop-up in Beverly Hills, a sign that the April Fool’s switch to yellow from the brand’s classic robin’s egg blue was more than just a joke. Photo: Tiffany & Co.

High Jewellery

Audrey Hepburn is the unofficial OG face of the brand while new ambassadors include K-pop star Rosé from Blackpink, Jackson Yee and Anya Taylor-Joy

Cartier was one of the first jewellery brands to live-stream on Taobao while Burberry collaborated with artists for a campaign – how can Tiffany stand out?

When it comes to Tiffany & Co., two things probably spring to mind: Audrey Hepburn’s leading role in the film Breakfast at Tiffany’s and the brand’s robin egg blue packaging. Rather than having a signature product, the jeweller has relied on its trademark colour for its brand identity. So when the parent company LVMH’s recently adopted a vibrant yellow for Tiffany on April Fool’s Day, it was an unexpected jolt to say the least.

Audrey Hepburn in the 1961 film, Breakfast at Tiffany’s. Both the jeweller and Givenchy, maker of the dress worn in this scene, now belong to luxury conglomerate LVMH. Photo: AP Photo

When the jewellery house unveiled its bold new Acqua Di Parma packaging on Instagram, the internet went into meltdown mode. Then, a month later, it opened a pop-up store in Beverly Hills without any sign of the brand’s beloved blue. Instead, everything – from furniture to shopping bags – was resplendent in yellow.

This is only one of many transformations Tiffany has undergone since LVMH completed its purchase in January this year. In the C-suite, former CEO Boglioli was replaced by Louis Vuitton executive Anthony Ledru. Meanwhile, the former CEO of Rimowa and 28-year-old son of billionaire LVMH president Bernard Arnault – Alexandre Arnault – was appointed executive vice-president of communications and products.

Also of note, the brand announced it had made endorsement deals with celebrities like K-pop star Rosé from Blackpink, Chinese actor and singer Jackson Yee and British actress Anya Taylor-Joy (for its younger T Collection). Plus, it plans to revamp its 320 Tiffany boutiques worldwide and add more exclusive locations to its portfolio across Asia and Europe.

Tiffany recently joined LVMH’s Watches and Jewellery Division, where its stablemates include Bulgari, Chaumet, Zenith, Fred and Tag Heuer. The luxury group certainly waved its magic wand over the Italian jeweller Bulgari (acquired by the French conglomerate in 2011), doubling its revenue over the last decade. Now, we ask, is Tiffany on track for the same result?

Does a yellow Tiffany appeal to local Gen Zers?