Founded in Provence in 2022, Planet of the Grapes turns an overlooked by-product of winemaking into Savigne – a grape-based biomaterial built on craftsmanship, provenance and circular design. We spoke to the brand’s Founder, Samantha Moreau about terroir, the true meaning of luxury, and why sustainability should never be an afterthought.
When was Planet of the Grapes born, and what is its origin story?
Planet of the Grapes was born at the end of 2022 in Provence, where I live surrounded by vineyards. Every year, I watched grapes being harvested and transformed into wine, while the skins, seeds and stalks left after pressing became a largely overlooked by-product. With a background in engineering and more than 20 years in fashion, interiors and lifestyle, I began asking a different question: what if this wasn’t the end of the grape’s story? That question became Savigne – our grape-based biomaterial, whose name brings together the French words savoir-faire and vigne, reflecting both the craftsmanship and the vineyard at its heart.
What is your brand ethos?
Our ethos is about redefining the relationship between agriculture, material innovation, luxury and circular design. We believe the materials of the future should be respectful – of the land, of resources, of people and of the savoir-faire that brings them to life. That means taking time to choose materials and understand their provenance, how they are made and by whom. Materials shouldn’t be an afterthought. Their origin, craftsmanship and impact should be considered from the very beginning. For us, the material is as much a part of the design as the design itself.
What does luxury mean to Planet of the Grapes?
For us, luxury goes deeper than a product. It is about caring and connection – to terroir, to people, to culture, to craftsmanship and to place. It is knowing where something comes from, understanding how and why it was made, and valuing the hands and savoir-faire behind it. Luxury takes time, and that time becomes part of its story. For Planet of the Grapes, true luxury creates an emotional connection. It allows us to experience a place, a culture and a story through the things we touch, use and keep.
For Planet of the Grapes, how do the worlds of luxury and sustainability collide?
For us, luxury and sustainability don’t collide – they belong together. If luxury is about caring and connection, then sustainability is part of that responsibility. Caring about terroir means respecting the land. Caring about craftsmanship means valuing the people and skills behind it. Caring about provenance means understanding the impact of the choices we make. Sustainability shouldn’t be an addition to luxury: it should be considered from the very beginning. For Planet of the Grapes, creating something beautiful and creating it responsibly are simply part of the same conversation.
What shifts in the industry have you noticed in relation to sustainability? Is it enough?
Perhaps the biggest shift is that we now have to ask: what does “sustainability” actually mean? Theconversation has expanded enormously – from materials, sourcing and manufacturing to biodiversity, traceability and social impact, through to longevity, repair, resale, reuse and recycling. That progress isimportant, but in trying to encompass so much, there is a danger that sustainability loses sight of what it originally set out to achieve. It cannot become a tick-box exercise. In luxury particularly, it has to be genuine – about making thoughtful,responsible choices that create something better for people and planet.
How has working with Positive Luxury changed or informed your approach to sustainability?
Sustainability has always been at the heart of Planet of the Grapes. We began with a circular idea – transforming an agricultural by-product into a new material – and built a close European supply chain around it,considering people and working conditions as much as our impact on the planet. Positive Luxury pushed this thinking further. We began to think of it as our own form of “double materiality”: not only what our material is made from, but the sustainability embedded in how we make it. A circular material isn’t enough; we must consider the entire system around it and continually strive to improve.
If Planet of the Grapes was a person, fictional or not, who would they be and why?
If Planet of the Grapes were a person, she would be a modern-day goddess of the harvest – part vigneronne, part artisan, part activist. She would have often have soil under her fingernails and books under her arm; deeply connected to the land, curious about the world and conscious of our changing climate. A little bohemian but effortlessly sophisticated, she would understand terroir, value savoir-faire and love bringing people together around culture, conversation, food and wine. Why? Because Planet of the Grapes is ultimately about connection – connecting agriculture with design, tradition with innovation, people with place, and what we create with where it came from.
What’s next for Planet of the Grapes?
We would like Savigne to become part of the wider language of luxury – across fashion, accessories, hospitality, interiors, gifting and experiences – demonstrating that sustainability, provenance and beautiful design can belong together. For our wine partners, that can mean extending the story beyond the bottle, creating objects and experiences that build memories and connection. For others, it is about bringing a material with its own story, craftsmanship and connection to the land into theirs. What excites us most is collaboration: working with brands and designers to turn these values into something tangible, desirable and meaningful.
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