Jean-Claude Biver showed no signs of slowing down following his retirement from the CEO role at TAG Heuer and LVMH’s Watchmaking Division as he co-hosted a charity auction with actress and model Cara Delevingne in London last night.
Stephane Bianchi who takes over as CEO of LVMH Watchmaking Division and CEO of TAG Heuer on November 1, and Frederic Arnault, TAG Heuer’s new strategy & digital director also made their first public appearance in the UK at the event.
The irrepressible Mr Biver, who now has a non-executive chairman role within the group, welcomed a host of celebrities and fans of TAG Heuer to an art gallery taken over to show the work of David Yarrow, the photographer who shot TAG Heuer’s current campaign featuring Ms Delevingne among a pride of wild lions.
An original print from the shoot was bought for a record price of £120,000 at the event, with all the proceeds donated to the Cara Delevingne Foundation, which supports young women all over the world.
The image was shot in South Africa by David Yarrow, the illustrious fine art photographer who specialises in capturing the beauty of endangered animals.
In a question and answer session about the TAG Heuer campaign shoot, Mr Yarrow explained: “When I photograph an animal, the first thing I do is look into its eyes. If they are not piercing, then it’s very difficult to capture the animal’s soul. And Cara has a truly piercing gaze! I therefore knew right away that the look would be at the very heart of this project!”
Cara Delevingne added: “It has long been a dream of mine to get the chance to work with wild animals, and particularly with a lion! I am so grateful to collaborate with TAG Heuer on these incredible visuals.”
Celebrity guests at the event included Natalie Pinkham, David Gandy, Jamie Redknapp, Mark Noble, Denise van Outen, Noëlla Coursaris, Amanda Wakeley, Aimee Fuller, Tania Bryer, Montana Brown and Marissa Montgomery.
