The late R&B music icon Luther Vandross’ legacy continues in new ways. The late singer’s estate has announced a special edition set of two luxury crystal drinking glass collections in collaboration with Waterford.
The renowned Irish hand-crafted luxury crystal company unveiled two special Luther Vandross X Waterford crystal collections, Luther 81 and the limited-edition Luther 81 X.
Made in partnership with the Luther Vandross Estate and Primary Wave Music, a commercial campaign for Luther 81 X was released on Thursday, Aug. 10. The collection was inspired by the Grammy-winning artist’s platinum single “Never Too Much.”
The commercial captured the joy Vandross’ musical ode to love still brings decades after its 1981 release. The luxury crystal glasses made in his honor aim to inspire the same joy. Pieces include glasses for cocktails, martinis, champagne, and lavish cocktail shaker.
“Our collaboration with Waterford beautifully symbolize this, adding a level of sincerity and elegance that embodies Luther’s legacy in a unique, tangible way,” Lisa Fruggiero, VP of brand partnerships at Primary Wave Musc, said.
A limited-edition decanter is among the collection for $1,300, along with a stunning crystal platinum vinyl record for $15,000. The vinyl is a unique crystal art piece commemorating Luther’s double-platinum debut album, “Never Too Much.” The 12-inch wall-mounted crystal disc is set against steel and brass and features 81 polished precision-cut track grooves with the singer’s signature hand-etched into the center.
“Luther Vandross’ genuine affinity for crystal always mirrored the crystal-clear quality of his voice and spirit,” Lisa Fruggiero, vp of brand partnerships at Primary Wave Music said.
By Friday, the decanter was the first piece to sell out, the one addition that was auctioned off to benefit the Luther Vandross Foundation.
Each piece in the collection of cocktail and barware features a karo cut design highlighting a line from Luther’s song along with a single hand-cut karo kiss on its base, as noted by Billboard. “A thousand kisses from you is never too much,” the glassware reads.
It was during the Foundation’s inaugural luncheon in Philadelphia in April when a one-of-a-kind crystal piece was marked with ‘kiss cuts’ by members of Luther’s Foundation, his Estate, scholarship recipients, and cut by a Waterford Master Craftsman.
The collection is on brand for the late music icon who prided himself in his love for luxury interior design.
“This unique collection honors Luther Vandross’ timeless legacy, beautifully capturing the spirit of his music in each crystal piece,” David Gottlieb, manager of the Luther Vandross Estate said.
“It’s more than just barware — it’s a testament to Luther’s profound influence on music and his ever-present essence in our lives,” Fruggiero said.
The Luther Vandross X Waterford collection is available on waterford.com and exclusively at Bloomingdale’s in the U.S., David Jones in Australia, House of Waterford in Ireland, and Harrods in the U.K.
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