THE DS BRAND PRESENTS A NEW EXHIBITION AT DS WORLD PARIS: ‘DS & VAILLANTE, TWO FRENCH BRANDS’

DS World Paris, the showcase of the DS brand located in the "Golden Triangle" in Paris, is a venue for sales, exhibitions and history, with a key focus on French know-how. It stages artistic and cultural events all year round, welcoming brands and artists with unique know-how. After hosting one of the emblematic figures of French haute couture, Yves Saint Laurent, in June 2015, La Maison Fabre last September, and Givenchy Le Makeup in May 2016, DS World Paris will from 10 June 2016 be organising a new exhibition entitled ‘DS & Vaillante, two French brands’.

"While one is real and the other fictional, DS and Vaillante are nevertheless two intimately linked French brands that have left their mark on history," says Julien Faux, Director of DS World Paris. "Today, they have come together once again in the new album of Michel Vaillant adventures – an ideal opportunity for exhibiting nearly 60 years of history to the public."

THE ‘DS & VAILLANTE: TWO FRENCH BRANDS’ EXHIBITION, A CONTINUING STORY

A few weeks after the 2016 Paris ePrix event, the DS brand is once again hitting the headlines with a new exhibition, 'DS & Vaillante, two French brands', at DS World Paris from 10 June to 3 September 2016.

The exhibition explores the links between two French automotive brands: DS and Vaillante – the brand created in 1957 by Jean Graton for his comic book Michel Vaillant. The two brands' paths have crossed a number of times in the last 60 years. The show plunges visitors into a unique world where the real and the fictional meet. On each floor of DS World Paris, visitors will learn more about how DS has always been a part of the adventures of Michel Vaillant.

The lower level is exhibiting all the excerpts from the albums in which DS cars feature alongside Vaillante cars, for example on the road in the Route de nuit album or on the track in the5 Filles dans la course book.

On the ground floor, Jean Graton and his DS are in the limelight, along with Jean Graton's artistic work, including one of his original storyboards. Visitors will also get to see how, when creating Vaillante, Jean Graton respected all the attributes making up an automotive brand. For example, Vaillante has its own styling centre and production site.

On the first floor, the spotlight is on the new album of Michel Vaillant adventures, Renaissance, together with Formula E, the motorsport competition of the 21st century. A panel has been created specially to explain the various key phases in the creation of a comic storyboard, from writing the story through to applying the colours. Visitors will thus be able to see how the Renaissance album was created. The first floor is also home to DSV-01, the all-electric single-seater of the DS Virgin Racing team competing in the FIA Formula E Championship. It is against this car that Michel Vaillant races in the new episode.

For Philippe Graton, the son of Jean and current story writer of Michel Vaillant, "Combining the real and the fictional, this exhibition is thoroughly original, and the links between the brands are fascinating. DS and Vaillante are contemporaneous, sharing boldness and styling elegance, technological innovations, and French-style expertise".

THE RENAISSANCE ALBUM AND ‘MICHEL VAILLANT ART STRIPS’ IN AN EXCLUSIVE PREVIEW

The Renaissance album will be on sale in a world exclusive at DS World Paris ahead of release by Éditions Dupuis on 17 June in France, Belgium, Switzerland, the Netherlands and Canada.

The fifth episode of the new season, the album transports readers to the heart of the FIA Formula E Championship. Alongside Michel Vaillant, readers will rub shoulders with, among others, the members of DS Performance, the DS brand's motorsport division that is working to develop DSV-01, the race car of the DS Virgin Racing team.

The new album promises plenty of emotion, adrenaline and suspense, as delivered on 23 April 2016 by the DS Virgin Racing drivers in their battle to score a podium finish.

The Renaissance album will be on sale at €15.50.

Four ‘Michel Vaillant Art Strips’ (large-format adaptations of drawings) will also be on sale during the residency. These original contemporary art works pay homage to the work of Jean Graton.

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MICHEL VAILLANT AND HIS CREATORS: KEY DATES

Born in Nantes in 1923, Jean Graton emigrates to Belgium at the end of the 1940s to become a press illustrator. He gravitates to the world of comics and works for the Spirou and Tintin weeklies.

1957: He creates Michel Vaillant, which has since become an icon in automotive culture. Never has a comic book depicted the world of the automobile with such realism, in its motorsport, manufacturing, social and styling facets. The series has inspired many a reader to become drivers, journalists, engineers and even designers.

1967: Launch of the Aventures de Michel Vaillant, a French TV show in 13 episodes adapted from the comic book by Charles Bretoneiche and Nicole Osso and broadcast on the ORTF channel.

1994: Jean Graton hands over the reins to his youngest son, Philippe, who has since watched over the fate of the hero and made sure the story remains true to the idea of its founding father.

2003: Luc Besson makes a film version of Michel Vaillant.

2012: After a long and hard think about the character, Philippe Graton resuscitates Michel Vaillant after 70 albums and a multitude of special issues with a "New Season". He co-writes the story lines with Denis Lapière and calls on Marc Bourgne to draw the characters and Benjamin Benéteau to draw the sets and the cars. More than an adventure hero, Michel Vaillant is depicted in the new comic book series as a French racing driver able to shine in all disciplines. He is as loyal with his family and friends off track as he is on track.

2016: Éditions Dupuis publishes the new album Renaissance on 17 June 2016.

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