Hasta La Ideas

We talk to the filmmaker about his foray into Champagne

Spending an afternoon with David Lynch in the penthouse of the Chateau Marmont isn’t necessarily an everyday occurrence—the filmmaker, known for his surrealistic visions, actually admits that he rarely leaves the house if he doesn’t have to. As the son of a forester, Lynch grew up spending time with his father in their woodshop, and now enjoys time at home creating his own art, photography and sound studios.

Lynch did venture out recently to the home of his friend, special effects designer Gary D’Amico, to collaborate on a bottle and package design project for Dom Pérignon. The two experimented with welding torches, shot beams of light into crystals, sprinkled sparkles and powered up smoke machines and other lighting effects to capture images for the resulting wraps. Shrouded in dreamy, glowing light streaks is Lynch’s scrawled label, “Dom Pérignon by David Lynch” sliced horizontally across the dark Champagne bottle.

We asked Lynch for insight into his growing interest in collaboration, and what inspires his work.

You have collaborated with Danger Mouse and Sparklehorse, and have been part of several collaborations from fashion to the recent suite at Hotel Lutetia. Why collaboration? What do you get out of it? How does it influence your filmmaking?

I always say commercial work is money and a chance to do something, a chance to experiment. A lot of times a chance to experiment with the latest technologies. So I always learn something and feel really good about the result and the experimentation and the process of getting that result. It is a collaboration in a way, but I really like the things where I have a freedom to experiment. Obviously the client has to like the result. This idea of experimenting to get something was embraced by Dom Pérignon. Luckily it turned out good.

For you is Champagne an every day or a special occasion beverage?

It’s a special occasion, but like I say, I learned a lot about what goes into Dom Pérignon. So now when I take a drink, it is a very rich experience.

Can you talk a little bit about some of the visual artists whose work really speaks to you?

There are a lot of great DPs out in the world. There are a lot of great painters. A lot of times you will see something and it will be very inspiring. There might be a painter where 90% of the stuff doesn’t talk to you but 10% really talks to you. Inspirations can come from so many places. I always say my greatest inspiration came from the city of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. So many reasons, the mood of the place, the architecture, what I saw and heard and felt. It was very magical, but laced with a deep tormenting fear and sickness. And I ate many steak sandwiches there.

Lynch’s designs for the Dom Pérignon Vintage 2003 and Dom Pérignon Rosé Vintage 2000 will be available on 1 October 2012.