Montblanc's 100th Anniversary Bash

Johnny Depp is considered to be Hollywoods shy eccentric. During his rare party appearances he is well shielded.

How do you spoil someone, who is already quite pampered ? One invites him for example for a flight to the top of the Mont Blanc. However it's even more impressive to invite him to a fictitious flight. That's exactly what Hamburg world enterprises Montblanc did in Geneva.
That's where traditionally the "Salon international de Haute Horlogerie" takes place
which is the fair of the group of luxury goods of Richemont, to which sounding marks belong such as Cartier, Lange Uhren, IWC, Van Cleef & Arpels, Piaget and Montblanc.
While the most watch and decoration companies in Basel produce a trueful large fair, Richemont affords the exclusivity of its own fine world in Geneva.

To its 100th Birthday Montblanc showed special creativity and invited to a flight on the Mont Blanc. In hall four. After checking in the guests were actually led into an airplane, a copied original Airbus with tip-up luggage racks, life jackets under the seats and aircraft noise. Only the corridor was broader. Which had to be, as over thousand guests should fit in . Finally the blue curtains in front of the "emergency exits" opened and gave view on a breathtaking mountain panorama. The machine "had landed" the passengers on the plateau of the Mont Blanc, they were allowed to step out into an ice-blue shiny party landscape.

Naomi Campbell had come directly from South Africa, where she had visited Nelson Mandela. Perhaps therefore she was so mild and friendly. Christopher Lee acted once as a James bond opponent, with a golden Montblanc pen as weapon. But since he and his wife Gitte, who wore such large framed eyeglasses that Dracula would've been frightened, met Lutz Bethge and he invited him to a guidance tour at the Hamburg enterprise, the 83yr old moviestar is a fan, he says and draws fast like once Bond a masterpiece from his jacket. "It carries my name." He only cannot fire.

The true sensation however was the attendance of Johnny Depp and his life companion, the French singer Vanessa Paradis. Depp, which is actually his real name (Depp means idiot in German- AM), who is a superstar in Hollywood since the early 90's by successes like "ES", "NG" and in particular "POTC", never attends events like these and is a rare guest even at Oscar awards.
The American is considered to be shy and eccentric, although he claims he likes to perform characters which are much more eccentric than he could ever be himself. Willy Wonka from the chocolate factory is one example.

This evening he is not eccentric at all however. On the contrary, the artistic couple, who are together for 7 years and have two children, behave shy, tender and kind. Vanessa Paradis in a creased Gatsby dress, Johnny Depp in an ice-blue suit with very broad shoulders and wide trousers, and matching bicoloured shoes. A quantity of lucky charms with several medallions around his neck with open collar shirt, partly tinkered by daughter Lily-Rose, partly reaching to his hips, but only on second view visible under the jacket - just like the large watch and the wristbands under wide sleeves. Private pleasure obviously, no roaring demonstration. Sometimes the 42yr-old is called the worst-dressed man in Hollywood. But one could also say he has his own style. The fans are less interested in his trousers. In 2003 the "People Magazines" chose him as "Sexiest Man alive". He has been engaged to Winona Ryder, Tatjana Patitz, Kate Moss, to name a few.

As soon as cameras are directed towards them, both look friendly, without laughing. Stasr have a dyed-in-the-wool expression. Johnny Depp, who was kicked out of school at 16-year old because of marijuana possession, then went to Florida and struggled himself through an unprotected childhood with jobs as a musician and with opportunity jobs, obviously does not want to come along as a Star. And Vanessa Paradis has a tooth gap, of which Madonna couldn't keep up. But behind the camera's, they both smile and laugh much. And smoke much. Selfrolled brown thingies.

When Johnny, alias Captain Jack Sparrow, opens his mouth, there's glittering, as if he has had Cartier's jewelry for breakfast. Gold teeth. Matching his tan. He has just wrapped POTC part 2 and a sequel will follow. The role of the good, over-the-top silly pirate is "such fun".

One cannot 'buy' a personality such as Johnny Depp, like one can book Naomi Campbell. He does not come for cash. Montblanc financed last year a campaign of the "Entertainment Industry Foundation", which promotes the art education of underprivileged children. Johnny Depp contributed for free. That's how they met.

So how does one reward a star, that is considered as priceless ? With something, which cannot be bought. No, not love. He found that with Vanessa Paradis. But Wolff Heinrichsdorff, managing director of Montblanc, possesses something, which Johnny Depp would gladly have. A collecter's item. The precious Montblanc Special Edition "Hemingway" of 1992. One should probably say, Heinrichsdorff possessed a "Hemingway".

The stars were well guarded, the guests urged themselves to the VIP area and kept mobile phones and cameras at the ready, in order to be able to present at least half a Paradis back, later at home. Interviews were not done, even within the Vip area they are guarded. Mr. Depp and ms Paradis had not seen eachother for a long time and 'wanted cuddle-time for themselves', as a very strict American woman explained. Nevertheless I can kindly talk with Mr. Depp, who expresses himself as very accessible and proves to have a large amount of humour under the excessive fringe.
"What are you doing here?"
"I was never interested by watches, because I don't consider time as being important. But pens fascinate me."

"Because before you were famous, you sold pens?"
He laughs: "Oh no. My passion comes from writing. And/or from reading. I admire writers such as Ernest Hemingway, Jules Verne and many others. In order to document that, I started to collect special inkpens. The first one I bought, was the "Fitzgerald '. But actually I am not a real collector."
"Why?"
"Because I use them ! They need to be used. A pen finds you and not the other way around. While writing you notice whether you understand eachother."
Then he grins: "At first Vanessa was irritated a little: ,'why do you love pens that much?' . But a love letter is simply more beautiful, when it was written with a special pen."

"You write love letters?"
"Yes, often."

"And your partner accepted the competition with pens?" "I gave her for Christmas the 'Greta Garbo'. And I will convince the children too one day"

"Do you still make yourself useful for underprivileged children?" "I am available at any time for advertisement. Because I find it very important for children to develop joy and interest in art because they can express themselves peacefully that way. Did you know that Anne Frank mentions her Montblanc pen in her diary?"

"To be honest, no. In the book one does not expect Product Placement."

"That's not at all what it's about. Only about the emotion of writing"

"How big is your collection ?" "Unfortunately I have only five special editions. And I am already jealous that I gave Vanessa 'Greta Garbo'."

The strict American woman comes. Johnny Depp presses my arm briefly in a friendly gesture, and I direct myself to Mr. Lee.

From Geneva the couple traveled to Hamburg. To visit the enterprise. And to the "Hemingway". Perhaps the next love letter will concern the sea.