Over the weekend, H. Moser & Cie.’s central boutique in Hong Kong was transformed into a temporary art gallery, where the shops’ timepieces were swapped with cardboard copies. This out-of-the-box occurrence was, in fact, a time-limited collaboration between the independent watchmaker and LABEG, a Hong Kong-based artist known for his distinctive watch art that brings an imaginative perspective to the world of horology. While this boutique takeover surely may sound far too eccentric for the watch world, it actually is rather on-brand for Moser.
The independent Swiss watch brand has a reputation for being innovative, whether it’s through playfully unconventional timepieces to outré concepts and unexpected collaborations. “At Moser, we are known to have a bit of a maverick mind,” says Bertrand Meylan, the Maison’s co-owner and current CEO. “We try to be very creative with our products, creating stories that are different from what the rest of the industry is doing,” he states.
Naturally, a sense of mutual respect and admiration was established between the Moser team and LABEG. Meylan recalls feeling instant familiarity when he first discovered LABEG’s art through a loyal Moser collector, who actually gifted the Maison a piece they commissioned from the artist. “His art as well as his approach to the watch industry are unique; it was nothing we have seen before,” Meylan elaborates, expressing his impression of LABEG and how he boasts a similar mindset to Moser’s brand philosophies.
On the other hand, LABEG has been a long-time fan of Moser. “I loved Moser as a brand even before I started making art,” shares LABEG, explaining that he was always fascinated by the Maison’s designs, brand DNA and craftsmanship. “Having been able to collaborate with a brand that I love even before I became an artist is like a dream come true,” he adds.
About a year ago, Meylan and LABEG met in person in Hong Kong, where an inkling of a potential collaboration transpired. “We always saw this boutique as a bit of an art gallery, so we needed the right angle and the right person to collaborate with,” says the Moser CEO. Upon meeting with LABEG, Meylan knew he was the right person for this initiative, given his local presence and unique artistic approach. “It made sense on many levels,” he discloses.
“We always saw this boutique as a bit of an art gallery, so we needed the right angle and the right person to collaborate with.” – Bertrand Meylan
With close to nine months of planning, the exhibition was finally brought to life with 24 unique artworks. This project was unlike any that LABEG has done in the past – it was much larger in scale and notably, more intensive. When Hypebeast interviewed LABEG last spring, the artist was already overwhelmed with commissions and an over 12-month-long waiting list. When asked how the preparation for this exhibition fit around his busy schedule, LABEG laughs, “I have no life.” Meylan jokingly responds with “He used to sleep six hours. Now he sleeps two.”
All jokes aside, LABEG took both his usual workload and this rare opportunity very seriously. “It’s mainly about managing my time right, but then it’s also about being able to tap into my creativity, to express every single type of watch from Moser to the best of my ability,” says LABEG. From signature models such as the Endeavor, Streamliner and Pioneer to the rare, one-off pieces, LABEG was committed to presenting a body of artworks that could encapsulate Moser’s brand identity and history – and he did just that.
When it comes to the selection of watches to feature in the exhibition, Meylan and his team at Moser remained rather open. “Of course, we gave [LABEG] a bit of direction in terms of the models we thought would be interesting to feature, but I believe an artist needs to be given as much freedom as possible,” he explains. “I have no idea how to make art like that, so how could I tell him what to do? We gave him freedom, which I think is important for a project like this.”
In response, LABEG made every effort to communicate with the team at Moser. “I chased them more than they chased me,” he recalls the frequent occurrence of him turning up at the boutique to catch a closer look at the watches he was working on. “I was constantly asking to see the real watches because I wanted to make sure that I got the colors and the details right,” says LABEG.
The resulting art pieces were true to scale but reimagined in LABEG’s distinctively playful aesthetic. Despite the asymmetrical and slightly wonky nature of his style, he thoroughly captured the original watches’ characteristics down to the smallest detail. Each unique piece also embodies the concept of “very rare” – a value shared by Moser – with designs showcasing uneven bezels, imperfectly shaped dials complete with hand-drawn details.
While every piece is impressive in its own way, Meylan was particularly enthralled by LABEG’s delivery of the more structurally complex timepieces. He specifically highlights the pink Streamliner Cylindrical Tourbillon Skeleton with Alpine, praising the artist’s inventive use of materials in recreating the timepiece; as well as the Streamliner Tourbillon Skeleton, which requires multiple components on the dial alone.
“There were so many details that I needed to draw; it had different layers, and I needed to think about how to incorporate and assemble them. It’s exactly like watchmaking in a way.” – LABEG
Coincidentally, the Streamliner Tourbillon Skeleton was also one of the most challenging pieces that LABEG had worked on for this exhibition. “There were so many details that I needed to draw; it had different layers, and I needed to think about how to incorporate and assemble them. It’s exactly like watchmaking in a way,” says LABEG.
In capturing the essence and intriguing appeal of Moser’s watches, LABEG also had to experiment with a wide range of artistic techniques, including ones that he’s not comfortably familiar with. He brings up the example of the fumé dial – one of the most recognizable design features in most of Moser’s offerings – and how he opted to present the iconic smoky gradient through a drybrush technique. While preparations for this exhibition were both labor-intensive and demanding, LABEG tackled the project with optimism, noting that “it was really interesting and really fun.” In addition to that, Meylan also commends the artist for tackling models with elaborate dials, like the avant-garde Genesis and the MASSENA LAB-collaborated Endeavour Chronograph.
“Some people might not understand it, but some people will love it. We believe our best products are always the ones that create reactions, whether positive or negative.” – Bertrand Meylan
With the exhibition, Meylan hoped to create an impactful reaction among customers and visitors. “I think it’s interesting to see people entering the boutique hoping to discover Moser but instead, just see watches made of cardboard everywhere,” he says as he emphasizes that they wanted to surprise people in a way that’s different. “Some people might not understand it, but some people will love it. We believe our best products are always the ones that create reactions, whether positive or negative,” he shares, adding “You cannot always expect everybody to love everything we do, however, they need to understand the effort of creativity behind it. As long as they understand that, they can say, ‘Okay, I don’t like it, but I understand you’re trying to push certain boundaries.’”
Though the exhibition ended in Hong Kong, Meylan confirms that it was the first of many to come. “We’re starting here as the first exhibition and then it’s going to be at our other boutiques in China, the U.S., etc,” he notes. On a concluding note, the Moser CEO shares with Hypebeast the general outlook he envisions for the Maison this year. “We believe in fun this year as we need more fun in our industry. Overall, we just need more fun in the world and so we’re bringing a lot of fun this year,” he says.
The post LABEG Took Over H. Moser & Cie.’s Hong Kong Boutique With Cardboard Watches appeared first on Hypebeast.
