The name Cartier is synonymous with quality and perfection, evoking a vision of the interplay between precious cut jewels and the light that plays across their surface. The launch of a new collection is always a much-anticipated event and the locations carefully selected to honour the age-old skill and craftsmanship of the designers who produce the jewels for which the House has little equal.
On 28th May 2023, “Magnifying the Beauty”; A Cartier Show designed and directed by Lulu Helbaek and Simone Ferrari, was held at the Salone dei Cinquecento in the Palazzo Vecchio in Florence, in front of a select audience of 600 people with entertainment from guest artists Ellie Goulding and Celeste.
Lighting designer, Pasquale Mari, assisted by Gianni Bertoli and programmer Mattia Carli, was responsible for lighting the evening’s events, set within the historic confines of the Salone dei Cinquecento (‘Hall of the Five Hundred’) amid the statues and paintings of Italy’s largest public hall.
Mari chose to illuminate the statues and highlight the grand architectural elements of the room using 40 award-winning Robert Juliat Dalis 860 cyclorama lights which he floor-mounted just 1m away from the painted walls and sublime statues, transforming them into a beautiful backdrop that befitted the show.
“I chose the Dalis 860 fixtures because of the purity of their whites,” he says, “and for their brightness and superb optics. They also have the capacity to mix colours perfectly in such a short throw distance. These qualities gave me all the colour palette and functionality I needed to enhance the art and architecture as the perfect backdrop for this special evening.”
Mari is very familiar with Robert Juliat fixtures having used them before in several opera venues including the Teatro Regio di Parma, the Rossini Opera Festival in Pesaro and the Teatro del Maggio Musicale Fiorentino. “I would recommend Robert Juliat for the high quality of the light output in all of their fixtures, and for their high level of reliability,” he concludes.
“Magnifying the Beauty”; A Cartier Show Credits
Executive Creative Direction & Show Direction: Lulu Helbaek & Simone Ferrari
Executive Producer: Marco Cisaria, Foll.ia
Director of Creation: Stefania Opipari
Set Designer: Chiara Stephenson
Associate Set Designer: Rob McIntyre
Light Designer: Pasquale Mari
Costume Designer: Marina Roberti
Video Design: Sergio Pappalettera
Tech Coordinator: Antonio Passante
Production Stage Manager: Alessandro Voltolin
Light Designer Assistant: Gianni Bertoli
Costume Designer Assistant: Valentina Bianchi
For more information on Dalis 860 and Robert Juliat’s full range of lighting solutions, visit: www.robertjuliat.com
