Dior teams with Guggenheim on two-night museum benefit

French couture house Dior is the presenting sponsor of the Guggenheim International Gala for the third consecutive year.

The two-night benefit for the museum, often referred to as GIG, will include a pre-party Nov. 4 with a live performance by Grimes and a dinner Nov. 5 honoring artists with recent or current exhibits. Becoming a consistent partner of a cultural event can further establish a brand’s position within the artistic community.

Party positioning
The pre-party is hosted by the Guggenheim’s Young Collectors Council, a group of professionals aged 21 to 40 who want to deepen their understanding of contemporary art and culture. Tickets to the event are $300 for members and $350 for general admission, making attending accessible to a range of consumers.

During the event, there will be an open bar and guests will be able to view part of the Alberto Burri: The Trauma of Painting exhibit, as well as take in the performance by Grimes, who is known for her eclectic music style.

Grimes

The benefit dinner the following night will honor artists On Kawara and Monir Shahroudy Farmanfarmaian, who were both recent subjects of retrospectives at the museum. The Guggenheim is also paying homage to artist Doris Salcedo, whose work is on display now through Oct. 12.

In a brand statement, Richard Armstrong, director of the Solomon R. Guggenheim Foundation and Museum, said, “We are delighted to be working again with Dior, our invaluable collaborator in presenting the GIG, and we look forward to building on last year’s success.”

Other fashion labels have established partnerships with the Guggenheim, some of which have extended beyond sponsorship.

Hugo Boss drove an expansive brand extension effort in conjunction with the Solomon R. Guggenheim Foundation via print, online, in-store and mobile media.

The German fashion house and the Guggenheim awarded the 2010 Hugo Boss Prize, which the former promoted to drive brand engagement with art-savvy consumers. The multichannel campaign included print and online promotions, social media outreach and a Foursquare promotion and sweepstakes (see story).