Launching new colorways, Kohler casts light on heritage hues
By EMILY IRIS DEGN
Fixtures maker Kohler is promoting three formerly archived shades.
The brand has partnered with luxury lifestyle company Flamingo Estate on an integrated campaign that places the revivals in nature. Originally introduced in the 1970s and 1980s, Fresh Green, Aspen Green and Teal comprise Kohler’s limited-edition collection, shot collaboratively on location in Los Angeles.
“We have a passion for designing products to help people bring their creative visions to life,” said Anthony Reeves, vice president of global creative at Kohler, in a statement.
“The natural landscape and lush gardens of Flamingo Estate evoke a sense of calm and wellbeing that resonate throughout the stories we crafted together.”
Forest to faucet
The Heritage Greens colors are available now and can be applied to a range of home surfaces, from kitchen sinks to bathtubs and toilets. Out this month, an outdoor project gives the assortment a boost.
Shot at the Flamingo Estate, a campaign entitled “From Green, Beauty Blooms” stages Kohler’s temporary release in the garden — the hilltop oasis began with a single orchard.
Selling land-based products such as soap, olive oil, honey and produce, Flamingo Estate is today an operation that spans more than 125 global farms. Its West Coast grounds are showcased in a new video.
Many viewers may already be familiar with the lifestyle retreat, as the business often collaborates with other high-end names (see story).
Known for engagements in the prestige sector and an embrace of sustainable practices, Flamingo Estate serves as a bridge between luxury and Los Angeles’s conscious living scene.
In the visuals for the Heritage Colors effort, the site’s lush plants act as a backdrop for the vibrant home fixtures.
Metallic faucets gleam in the dewy light, vibrant butterflies flutter against jade-hued sinks and green bathtubs sit in the middle of monstera leaf jungles.
Richard Christiansen, founder of Kohler’s California-based direct-to-consumer collaborator, conceived the photoshoot’s concept, the pair sharing a “love of green, craftsmanship, and a brand ethos encouraging wellness and sustainable living,”
“Flamingo Estate is my home and garden, but it’s more than that,” said Mr. Christiansen, in a statement.
“It’s a philosophy that champions slow ways and ancient rituals,” he said. “The garden offered us a generous palette and it started with a canvas of a thousand greens.
“Each of these greens has something to say and we want to hear their stories.”
The colors, according to Kohler, served to bring the wonder of the outdoors into the home at the time of their original launch.
Presented in 1978, 1971 and 1987, respectively, the modern-day creative treatment draws on ads for Aspen Green, Fresh Green and Teal from decades prior.
Curated from the archives, these selections were shown at Salone del Mobile in Milan last month (see story). Now, their ties to wellbeing and the natural world, as well as their diverse design possibilities, are further explored, allowing consumers to connect on a deeper level with the array.
“Kohler shares a lot of the same values, curiosities, and things that we love and cultivate at Flamingo Estate,” said Mr. Christiansen, owner and cultivator of Flamingo Estate, in a statement.
“We care deeply about quality, and about time, texture and attention to detail,” Mr. Christiansen said. “Working with Kohler and the entire team was an amazing opportunity to harness the personality of the estate and embrace the joy of bringing nature into our world.”
Going green
Per Kohler, Flamingo Estate shares its adoration of craftsmanship and all things green, likewise holding an ethos that encourages wellness and sustainable living.
Aligning with the wave of ecoluxury interest, green has become a hot shade for high-end advertising. The world of fragrance seems especially keen.
Italian fashion house Valentino’s beauty arm is among those that have taken to the hue, promoting history and modernity in a marketing push entitled “Green Stravaganza.”
Starring South Sudanese-Australian model Adut Akech and American singer Anwar Hadid, the slot promoted self-expression, inclusion and, of course, sustainability (see story).
Meanwhile, French fashion and leather goods house Hermès pushed its H24 Herbes Vives masculine scent live recently. Rain and lush flora uplifted the lime-tinted scenes, bringing attention to the product’s herbal notes (see story).
As for Kohler’s industry, green also appears to be driving much of its promotional narratives.
This might not come as a surprise considering Interior Designer Trends Survey findings from online marketplace 1stDibs predicted that Sage Green would beat out all other shades in popularity this year (see story).
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