Montblanc Just Threw New York’s Chicest 100th Anniversary Party

Inside the exclusive Crane Club in NYC, a century of craftsmanship met the energy of the city after dark as Montblanc celebrated 100 years of its leather goods. The evening brought together a cross-section of the creative world, from actors and designers to artists, models, and cultural tastemakers, all gathered to mark a legacy built around the objects we carry, write with, and keep.

Among the night’s guests were Paul Anthony Kelly, Alexandra Daddario, and Princess Marie-Olympia of Greece, who mingled throughout the venue as legendary DJ Honey Dijon supplied the beats. Her set brought an unmistakably New York pulse to the evening, connecting Montblanc’s storied history with the city’s ever-evolving creative scene.

The celebration was designed as an experience: A towering installation inspired by Montblanc’s Writing Traveler briefcase anchored the space, while guests could personalize small leather goods at a dedicated station. Another offered the chance to write and send postcards, an appropriately analog gesture in a world where most communication now happens through screens.

For Giorgio Sarné, CEO of Montblanc, the anniversary was an opportunity to reflect on the enduring significance of those tangible rituals.

“For a hundred years, Montblanc leather has lived for one purpose: to celebrate the act of writing,” Sarné explained. “As the world becomes more digital, the beauty of the tangible has never felt more essential. The touch of fine leather, the weight of a fountain pen, writing on a piece of paper – these are gestures that bring us back to what is human.”

That philosophy was reflected throughout the evening. A handwritten postcard or a personalized leather piece suddenly felt like more than an accessory; they became reminders of the value of objects made to be touched, carried, and lived with.

Montblanc’s commitment to the creative community was equally visible in the guest list. Actor Will Peltz, director Roman Coppola, designer Waris Ahluwalia, and model Kenya Kinski-Jones joined brand ambassadors Rupert Friend, Seo Kangjun, Kerem Bürsin, and Alfonso Herrera for the celebration.

The gathering brought together different corners of fashion, film, art, and culture, all connected by the act of creating. While Montblanc is celebrated for its craftsmanship, its leather goods and writing instruments have long functioned as tools for those who make things, whether they are writing a screenplay, sketching a collection, documenting a journey, or simply putting an idea onto paper.

Tracing that philosophy back to the introduction of Montblanc leather goods in 1926, the anniversary marked a century of craftsmanship and timeless design. In a city defined by constant movement and reinvention, the celebration offered a reminder that some things are meant to last.

Photography courtesy of Tyrell Hampton and Getty Images