Jaeger-LeCoultre Joins 'Fashion Week'

For the first time, a leading luxury watch brand participated in "Fashion Week" (Sept. 15-19), the twice-a-year event in New York City where top fashion houses and designers unveil apparel creations for the coming season to the press, buyers, and celebrities.

Jaeger-LeCoultre, a 170-year-old Swiss brand, took over the penthouse of Bryant Park Hotel—a "command central" for the week's fashion shows—and turned it into a mini-salon. The project, said Jaeger-LeCoultre representatives, was intended to widen awareness of the luxury brand among the fashion press and fashion-conscious consumers.

On display were the company's latest 2003 collections, plus new men's and women's watches consistent with the spring 2004 fashion trends seen on Fashion Week runways. According to Jaeger-LeCoultre spokespeople, those trends include "nostalgic patinas, summer yellows, sea blues, flesh tones, colorful exoticism, stylized butterflies, and smoothed leather." New timepieces were grouped under several themes, such as "All About Pink" (pink straps), "Sporty Charm" (military-style camouflage and green straps), and "Escape" (baby blue or cream colors).

In addition to watches mixing trendy and classic styling, Jaeger-LeCoultre's salon offered a variety of complimentary spa treatments such as manicures and pedicures. Visitors included fashion editors; TV journalists from CNN, CBS, MTV, and other networks; publicists and stylists for celebrities and TV shows; and Fern Mallis, executive director of "Seventh on Sixth," the official name of "Fashion Week."

Jaeger-LeCoultre is best known for its signature "Reverso Collection," which features a swiveling rectangular case, and its sophisticated "Master" watches. The firm also manufactures the thinnest mechanical movement in the world. The watches are distributed by Jaeger-LeCoultre USA, New York City.