Lenny Kravitz, flushed with the success of his Leica special edition, is now lending his name to Dom Pérignon. This special edition features a box that turns into a champagne bar. I’m grateful to John Shingleton for this clipping from the Australian Financial Review.
Reading the article, however, it’s clear that Leica missed a trick. They could have made a gift box that turns into a candelabra and a bespoke darkroom.
Scoff we might, but I’m told by several readers that Leica’s special editions are good for business and are therefore A GOOD THING.
Secret buyers
While no reader (to my knowledge, or they are keeping it quiet) has rushed out to buy a Kravitz special or another of the recent editions, they recognise that if they help keep Leica in business, it’s worth a cringe or two.
Who knows? Perhaps special editions are keeping film alive. We are always hearing rumours (vigorously denied in Wetzlar) that film cameras are on death row. While I don’t think a demise is likely in the medium term, if at all, it could well be that the dosh earned by special editions is the absent straw that keeps one division (at least) on its feet.
So come back Lenny, all is forgiven. Raise a glass of Dom Perignon and look forward to a profitable Leica Camera AG.
I’m not convinced by the argument that the recent, awful, limited editions are good for Leica’s bottom line and hence help keep the film cameras alive. Even if they all sell out and that’s a big if as I have seen quite a few of them unloved and unsold on the shelves of Leica dealers in the Middle East in the last 12 months their contribution to Leica’s revenue would just be a tiny blip.
I would have thought that Leica would be better served by bringing out more sensible limited editions such as the M-E , the revived reduced price M240. That, apparently very succesful, model did not make Leica look as if the company had been infected with a serious case of corporate silliness.
Yes, I would like to see Leica do more subtle special editions. The safari, titanium, and hammertone can be interesting. Nowadays, even a black paint digital model could qualify as limited edition.
In the past Leica has done very interesting special edition film cameras in Japan and other parts of Asia. The MP-6, MP Classic, and M3J.