Places of enlightenment and discovery, libraries around the world generate new ideas and spark imagination, as visitors journey through rows of books and experience the inspiring power of words inked on paper. Capturing years of storytelling on their shelves, libraries can also act as a window to the soul of a country, a culture, a city.

Montblanc draws inspiration from these extraordinary literary destinations in its Library Spirit campaign, inviting us into its own universe of words as a brand rooted in the culture of writing. In the second chapter of the campaign, The Library Spirit – Episode: London, Montblanc explores the city and its classic British timelessness, punctuated by the subversive energy that animates it.

Shot by world-renowned photographer Mariano Vivanco, the campaign is set at The London Library, recognized as one of the world’s leading literary institutions. Established in 1841 in St James’ Square, the Library holds a collection of around one million titles and is well known for its founding subscribers such as Charles Dickens and Charles Darwin and notable members from the world of literary and visual arts, including Virginia Woolf and Stanley Kubrick.

The campaign features actor James Norton, model, singer and author Karen Elson, and model Arthur Gosse. The visual story contrasts the classic elegance of a modern-day dandy with the attributes that come from embracing London’s alternative side, an unlikely union of elegance and unconventionality.

“The London Library setting is not only a place for the traditional studying of the classics, but also a place influenced by the bustling, multicultural city around it, becoming a place for scratching beneath the surface and finding a new wave of inspiration in something that is unexpected, that goes against the current.  In this second episode of The Library Spirit, the London spirit encourages us to embrace timeless classics but make them our own, repurposing them to suit our own style and subverting the expected,” says Marco Tomasetta, Montblanc Artistic Director.

The Library Spirit – Episode: London features a selection of Montblanc products that reflect the blend of classic and alternative style that the city emulates.

Evoking its long history and role in nurturing the great classics in literature, art and architecture, London’s libraries are filled with stories to be discovered. The Meisterstück Around The World in 80 Days Doué Classique Fountain Pen celebrating a classic literary adventure, the Soft Mini Bag inspired by the art of writing with its external writing instrument holder, the Montblanc 1858 Iced Sea watch with its timeless design codes and elegant grey dial - each piece is fit for those who appreciate the classics and are looking for timeless design.

Despite an appreciation for heritage, the London spirit goes beyond the expected and infuses an edge of modernity to the overall look. The Soft Backpack and the 24/7 Bag built for today’s on-the-go explorers – every piece adds a contemporary twist to the analogue experience, allowing the wearer to bring the Library’s curious spirit with them on their journey through London and beyond.