Christofle : revival of the brand by creation

How does one breathe new life into a prestigious firm which failed to keep up with changing times ? This is the problem which Christofle had for a number of years. The firm took the gamble of entrusting its creations to modern designers and artists (even those far-removed from Christofle's traditional sector of activity), so that it could become a desirable brand once again, and re-establish a place for itself. This strategy was not intended to reject its heritage or patrimony, but, on the contrary, to pick up the threads of a certain pioneer tradition which used to exist at Christofle. The Christofle brand name can create an original image for itself, using both traditional and modern techniques, by light-heartedly playing off its brand identity and renewing its vision of elegance. Resorting to designers and artists, however, may be problematic. How does one prevent them exploiting the brand name for their own profit ? How does one make them incorporate production constraints ? What degree of originality can they get away with, without upsetting loyal and traditional clients ?