WORDS
Sinéad Campbell
Ever wanted to write like a classic novelist? A good place to start would be to write with a pen designed to honour the legacy of a literary giant. Which is where Montblanc comes in. The luxury brand’s Writers Edition collection celebrates the influence of some of literature’s most prominent figures – such as the Brothers Grimm, Victor Hugo and, most notably, Jane Austen – who defined the cultural horizons of their time.
Perhaps one of the most celebrated writers in literary history, Jane Austen penned a canon of classic works, detailing the fictional lives and scandals of British high society. Her elegant prose may be impossible to replicate but if there were ever a way to objectify Austen’s penmanship, then Montblanc’s collection may just be the optimal representation. The art of storytelling has always been integral to the Montblanc philosophy and with a history of design and innovation spanning more than a century, each Montblanc product has its own story to tell.
The Montblanc Jane Austen collection of four writing instruments is no exception. With a classic shape and structure, created in homage to the quaint provincial countryside, alongside designs that play an aesthetic balancing act between passion and propriety, each evokes the image of noble country estates and high-class social events – the countryside, the house, the travel and the ball. The shape is inspired by a wax stamp, a method used by Austen to seal letters.
And with the Regency era recently coming back into the zeitgeist influencing fashion, film and television, Montblanc’s collection adds another gemstone to this cultural trend. The band of a reticule – a ladies’ handbag that was fashionable at this time – is the inspiration behind the design of the clip, an homage to the fictional heroines in Austen’s novels. If you look closely, you’ll be able to spot the words “By a Lady” adorned with a floral pattern surrounding the signature Montblanc emblem, engraved at the tail end of the pen – a discreet yet tasteful nod to Austen’s pseudonym under which she anonymously published all four of her major novels. Just like Austen’s writing, the genius is all in the details.
Montblanc’s own storytelling legacy all began with one of its most recognisable and respected writing tools, the Meisterstück, which has expanded to encompass a diversified product range of watches, bags and jewellery – all crafted to the exceptional standards that warrant its reputation. To celebrate 100 years of the Meisterstück, the newly launched anniversary leather capsule collection is a stylish synthesis of tradition and modern innovation, which places the writing instrument at the forefront of the design. Dating back to 1926, Montblanc’s signature pen pouches were the first leather products created by the maison. With the anniversary collection, their outline has been reincorporated onto the exterior of the bags, crafted from glossy black leather and sculpted into a firm, robust structure – the perfect place to carry your Writers Edition pen.
Writers Edition pens from £860; Meisterstück capsule collection from £140; montblanc.com