Behind the scenes at Monte-Carlo Television Festival
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We went to the 61st edition of the Festival along with Claudia Cherki, the champagne partner at the event.
The blue carpet, the stars on the steps, the previews, the crowds of fans, the Golden Nymphs and the Princely Couple… There’s no doubt that the world sees the Monte-Carlo Television Festival as a unique and magical experience. But the grandiose event would be nothing without the help of the partners, who each add their own touch of magic.
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Carefully selected by the Festival, these partners provide their products or services to the Festival’s guests, in return for excellent exposure. The Festival provides each partner with a tailor-made event, adapted to their needs and target audience.
This year, we followed Claudia Cherki, official supplier of champagne for the Festival, and who also dressed some of the stars.
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“Introducing champagne lovers to champagne”
Today is Friday, June 17, and you can smell the excitement at the Grimaldi Forum. After two complicated years, the Monte-Carlo Television Festival is back in fine form for its 61st edition. Just a few minutes from before the opening ceremony, Claudia Cherki is on tenterhooks: tonight, for the first time, it is her champagne that will be served to the Festival’s guests, as well as to actors and celebrities from all over the world. A very nice accolade, just five years after her debut in the ‘bubbly’ industry: “they came across my champagne at a cocktail party, she explains. “When they confirmed our partnership, I was really delighted: I am so dedicated, committed to everything I do… I felt it was a major acknowledgement.”
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Once the ceremony is over, featuring the presentation of the Golden Nymph for The Most Promising International Actors to Théo Christine by the Princely Couple, as well as by the world premiere of the new series Last Light, the Festival’s cars pull up in front of the Grimaldi Forum. They take us directly to the Monte-Carlo Beach, where Claudia’s champagne is flowing. It’s a relief to see the guests taking a second glass: “I can finally breathe and see the result, see my work. It is even more satisfying in Monaco, it is a huge acknowledgement ,” she says.
But what is it about this champagne that managed to convince the organisers of one of the most prestigious events in the Principality, and who choose their partners carefully? For Claudia, the strength of the product is its quality, at every level: “My champagne’s strength – and I worked very hard on it – comes from my customers, who tell me that it is a gourmet champagne, which provides flavour, without acidity or headaches. I want to be able to introduce people to champagne, whether they are already fans or not! (…) In addition, we have an environmental approach, with a system for cleaning the tanks and presses, without polluting the rivers.”
Combining fashion, glamour and the environment
This is not Claudia Cherki’s only contribution to the proceedings. While the young woman manages her champagne business masterfully, she also carries on with her main activity: the production of tailor-made and, above all, eco-responsible clothes, with the label Personal Made For You.
SEE ALSO: Claudia Cherki: fashion for sustainable development
A number of celebrities decided to call on her for the event. For example American actor Ricky Whittle (The 100, American Gods), who wasted no time sharing his finest outfits on Instagram, stressing the impact of the textile industry on the environment, and the importance of changing our perspective on fashion: “Tonight’s outfit for the Monte Carlo Television Festival is an incredible suit made by Claudia Signature, made from recycled plastic, showing we don’t have to add to the problem with regards fashion. (…) Every little helps and this is a wonderful start from this talented designer here in Monaco.”
“I was really thrilled that Ricky Whittle agreed to wear my clothes,” says Claudia after the event. “When he saw what I was doing, he said he was only going to wear those clothes, not the ones he had brought in his suitcase. He shares my message and I am delighted to see that we share the same values.”
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Word-of-mouth has worked very well, it must be said, as Claudia is receiving more and more enquiries about both her champagne and her clothing brand. Determined to keep a cool head, she’s waiting to see a number of projects come to fruition, but remains resolutely optimistic, “when I started believing in all of this and working on my fashion project, it was 2014. Now it’s 2022 and it’s just getting started. Maybe I was a little avant-garde, and that motivates me to keep going, to move forward, to up my game.”
Her work is also recognised by the Prince’s government. The young stylist worked on the documentary Souffles de vie, which was previewed at the Festival. The film crew wears Claudia’s polo shirts and uniforms, made from recycled plastic. Very moved to see her name and logo appear, after so much hard work, she comes away from this experience even more determined to combine her passions and her values: “I plan to have clothes recycled, in future. We can all do something, even the smallest things make a difference, like reducing our water or food consumption, not being wasteful, or even choosing eco-responsible clothes when we have the option to do so.”