The southern French- speaking part of Belgium, known as Wallonia, was once amongst the richest regions in Europe. Famed for its heavy industry and fuelled by the availability of coal, it was also home to one of nineteenth century’s most treasured luxury product: Val Saint Lambert crystal.
In its heyday, Val Saint Lambert (VSL) employed 5,000 craftsmen in the Wallonian town of Seraing and exported more than three quarters of its products to the palaces and mansions of the wealthy around the world.
Among its most important customers were the tsars of Russia and the maharajas of India. In the early twentieth century the maharaja of Gwalior ordered two VSL chandeliers measuring 13 metres in height and weighing 3.5 tonnes each. They were at the time, the world’s largest chandeliers.
Palaces in Hyderabad, Bhuj, Bikaner and Varanasi still display collections of VSL products including crystal ware, mirrors and chandeliers.
However, the two world wars disrupted many of the company’s key markets: the Balkans, Russia and Germany. The post-Second World War closure of Wallonia’s coal mines created a long-lasting depression in the region from which VSL was not immune.
Although VSL remains a brand name to reckon with in Belgium — that every Belgian family has at least one piece of VSL crystal is a widely held belief — it has faced tough times in recent years, coming close to bankruptcy twice in the last decade.
With only 50 craftsmen left in its employ, VSL was bought over in 2008 by the Onclin family and is now looking to revive its old links with India.
Towards the end of March, VSL’s CEO will spend ten days in India, as part of a 300-plus strong Belgian economic mission to the country headed by Prince Philippe.
“The goal for us is to return to the Indian market and reconnect with one of our oldest contact,” explains Fabien Poncelet, VSL’s head of marketing.
To begin with, the company will be looking for retailers to partner with in Mumbai. “We want to find retailers who will stock our products and we can also think of setting up a shop within a shop,” says Poncelet.
VSL is already thinking about designing pieces specifically for the Indian market, like cut crystal figurines of Ganesh and Laxmi.
Although the retail networks that linked VSL to India were largely severed by the 1950s, the crystal makers continue to have an understanding of what the Indian customer looks for. Even today they get orders from wealthy families in India for whom Belgian glass remains synonymous with luxury and quality.
Poncelet points to a massive 30 kg crystal vase that dominates one end of the company’s showroom. “That one is for an Indian family,” he says. He cannot reveal the name but the cost of the piece is a whopping Euro 80,000 (Rs 52,80000).
Not all VSL pieces are as expensive. The average price of the products ranges from Euro 60 (Rs 3,700) for a small piece to Euro 4,000 (Rs 247,400) for more complex ones.
Currently VSL has 40 stores around Belgium and 50 per cent of its monthly Euro 100,000 sales come from its home market. The remaining 50 per cent is largely accounted for by the US, where the jewellery store Tiffany is its largest customer.
“We realise that if we are to grow we have no choice but to go to the emerging economies of China and India,” says Poncelet. He hopes “India’s tradition of beautiful things and appreciation of craftsmanship,” will help the company’s planned Indian foray.
VSL is all that remains of what was once a flourishing industry in southern Belgium. If it fails, the skills and artisanal expertise that have passed down amongst local families for almost two hundred years will disappear with it. Without even knowing it, India may represent the last chance of salvation, for this far away Wallonian town.
