TELL ME A STORY #1
Christofle and the Spirit of Innovation
“Salespeople, become storytellers!”
Over the past few years, storytelling has become an integral part of sales training programmes. Out with hard skills, in with heart skills, those abilities that captivate your client through all their senses. From salesperson to storyteller, we’re told there’s only one step. True, but no one talks of how wide that step is.
Let’s close our eyes for a moment.
Paris, 1820… Charles, aged 15, began an apprenticeship with his goldsmith brother-in-law. He discovered, with delight, the secrets of metalwork, bending the material to his will with astonishing ease. For gifted souls, worth is not measured in years. By 25, he has taken over the reins of the House and given it his name: Christofle. Within a few years, he has Europe at his feet.
In the 19th century, Parisian society was going through major upheavals. The French Revolution, when it eradicated the nobility, threw their private chefs out with them. Restaurants flourished, and the Industrial Revolution shaped a bourgeoisie hungry for recognition, eager to display its newfound status. In opulent homes, every room has its purpose, and to top it all off, a dedicated dining room emerges. Here, family and friends gather and enjoy a meal together, flaunting their wealth with ostentation. The problem? Silverware is exorbitantly expensive. Painfully so. And that’s when Charles has a revelation. In 1842, he acquires a groundbreaking patent: electroplating in gold and silver. A revolution of its own. Silver-plated metal. Silverware in every home. The democratisation of a dream that has, until then, remained unattainable. Christofle allows the world a seat at the table of kings.
A visionary, this Charles? Undoubtedly. It is an era of great excitement. At the very same time, a carpenter’s son, just arrived from his native Jura, in eastern France, begins crafting trunks. His name is Louis. The era fascinates him, and he is determined to embrace its momentum. Innovation above all. Flat-top trunks, bed-trunks, all functional, practical and modern, all to satisfy a society ravenous for travel. The entire century quivers with invention.
Well, you might ask, what’s that got to do with sales?
Innovation is the key. Charles and Louis have long since left this world, but their spirit lives on in every sale in their boutiques. To innovate, to innovate again, this is the secret to longevity. Charles, Louis and the others were artisans. Geniuses of creation. Had they been told they would become legends, they would have laughed heartily. The artisan spends hours, days, even weeks observing his material, refining his masterpiece. The artisan creates a piece; the salesperson sells it. He becomes the custodian of the artisan’s work, and, in turn, an artisan himself, crafting a client relationship with the same patience and skill. The internet overflows with articles extolling the virtues of soft skills, empathy, active listening, and the art of small talk. Yes, yes, yes and yes again! But… not without craftsmanship. Let’s not be courtiers, but true artisan of our client relationship. And to achieve that, let us innovate! Again and again. Let us dare to observe, to adapt, to push the boundaries of conventional sales, to step off the well-worn path. Like the House of Christofle, let us celebrate each significant moment in our clients’ lives, from birth to marriage and beyond. Let us give without expectation of return. Let us send messages and greetings, never missing a birthday! A personalised note costs nothing yet brings such joy. Call, Whatsapp, text, engrave a memory so it will never be forgotten, but always with elegance. In her book Non merci, je regarde, Constance Calvet borrows from Sophie Chassat the concept of Sprezzatura: “Avoid the bling; do not overdo it. Nothing stiff, pompous, affected, pinched, or theatrical.” From courtier to artisan.
Case in point.
Since November 2024, Paris has been sparkling with a dazzling exhibition: Christofle, une brillante histoire, at the Arts Décoratifs until 20 April 2025. Christofle has been adorning our lives with silver for almost 200 years. At The Wind Rose, we hold this House particularly dear. Firstly, because they placed their trust in us, and secondly, because Constance, the company’s founder, is a direct descendant of the great Charles himself, carrying forward his legacy… in the realm of client experience. From the crafter of objects to the crafter of sales, it is, once again, but a single step.
At Christofle, each tine of the fork is polished multiple times, patiently, meticulously, until it gleams with perfection. Let us take the time to polish our client relationships, in a gentle ode to timelessness. In some families, Christofle cutlery has been passed down from generation to generation for over a century. In others, people “look after their Patek Philippe watches for the next generation”. Just as a name is engraved on a silver baby cup, a client relationship can be engraved in the heart of time, provided we nurture it, with care and making sure it continues to ring true.
Now, over to you:
what is your secret to innovation?
Aurélie Leborgne
February, 2025
Leave a Reply
Want to join the discussion?Feel free to contribute!