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  3. Art, Arts & Crafts, Painting

Nos créations ne traversent pas les modes, elles les subliment !

English translation: Our creations never go out of style, they set the pace!

GLOSSARY ENTRY (DERIVED FROM QUESTION BELOW)
French term or phrase:Nos créations ne traversent pas les modes, elles les subliment !
English translation:Our creations never go out of style, they set the pace!
Entered by: Debora Blake

16:08 Feb 9, 2020
French to English translations [PRO]
Art/Literary - Art, Arts & Crafts, Painting / Jewellery
French term or phrase: Nos créations ne traversent pas les modes, elles les subliment !
Hello,

Would anyone be able to help me with this phrase please?

It is for a jewellery company, for the English version of their website.

Is it saying that their jewellery is timeless and doesn't go out of fashion, and that it enhances fashions/styles?

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Merci d'avance
Catharine Middleton
United Kingdom
Local time: 09:39
Our creations never go out of style, they set the pace!
Explanation:
I think this does the trick nicely. It's close enough to the original without falling into the trap of being too literal.

Setting the pace is a creative way to deal with "sublimer" as it means positioning yourself so that others must try to catch up or do better than you.

See an example at the link I provided.
Selected response from:

Debora Blake
France
Local time: 10:39
Grading comment
This sounds great, thank you very much! It fits the style of the text perfectly. I really appreciate your help.
4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer



Summary of answers provided
4 +1our creations don't transcend fashion: they take it to new heights
philgoddard
4 +1Our creations transcend the fashion of today. They are timeless treasures!
Jay Gonzalez
4Our creations never go out of style, they set the pace!
Debora Blake
3Not only do our creation outlast fashions, they transcend them!
Nicolas Gambardella
3Our creations rise above fashion to bring out the best in it
Jane F
3We go beyond Timeless
ormiston


Discussion entries: 3





  

Answers


23 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5
Not only do our creation outlast fashions, they transcend them!


Explanation:
Just a proposal

Nicolas Gambardella
United Kingdom
Local time: 09:39
Native speaker of: Native in FrenchFrench
PRO pts in category: 4
Notes to answerer
Asker: Thank you for your suggestion, I appreciate your help!

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26 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5 peer agreement (net): +1
our creations don't transcend fashion: they take it to new heights


Explanation:
The dictionary gives "enhance", but I think that sounds a bit lacklustre.
https://dictionary.reverso.net/french-english/sublimer


The first translation here is completely wrong, but the rest are OK:
http://www.linguee.fr/francais-anglais/traduction/traverser ...

philgoddard
United States
Specializes in field
Native speaker of: English
PRO pts in category: 61
Notes to answerer
Asker: Thank you all for your thoughts, you raise some interesting points - thank you for your ideas.


Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
disagree  Jay Gonzalez: "To transcend" is the same as as to "rise above" or "go beyond", so "take it to new heights" is saying the same thing as "transcend" here https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/transcend
20 mins
  -> Traanscend simply means outlast in this context. Take it to new heights is something much more positive.
agree  Carol Gullidge: Actually, I have seen this very same use of "traverser les modes" (as in "transcend trends") and find it perfectly convincing. You cd even use "don't just/simply/only transcend fashion,... Either way, this sounds the most "marketing/punchy" answer so far!
1 hr
  -> Thank you. I agree that the addition of "just" is a good idea.
agree  Philippe Barré
1 day 16 hrs
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24 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5 peer agreement (net): +1
Our creations transcend the fashion of today. They are timeless treasures!


Explanation:
Hi Catharine,

I can tell the company whose website you're working on makes storytelling part of their advertising, so a transcreational approach would work better than a direct translation here.

They don't so much enhance fashion as they transcending it. As you say, their pieces aren't part of any passing fashion, they are timeless classics/beauties/pieces/creations (you pick the word or expression that you feel best tells the story).

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 27 mins (2020-02-09 16:36:07 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

Oops...I got so passionate about the answer that I rewrote it a few times, so it should be "They don't so much enhance fashion as transcend it"

Jay Gonzalez
United States
Native speaker of: English
Notes to answerer
Asker: Hi all, thanks for your thoughts here. Thanks for your ideas Jay! Yes a transcreational approach is necessary to match their writing style but sound natural in the target language. Thanks again for your help, Catharine


Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
neutral  philgoddard: It says they don't transcend fashion, and I think you have to respect that.
4 mins
  -> I think you're interpreting a marketing text too literally, which makes for bad marketing copy. "Traverser la mode" has the meaning of "following the fashion". "Sublimer" can mean to beautify or enhance, but it can also mean to transcend figuratively.
agree  Carol Gullidge: "timeless treasures" = ??? (perhaps a bit too much passion!)// Yes, the trick is to make it sound catchy whilst sticking to the ST; it is just the last sentence that I disagree with. BUT, I agree with "They don't so much enhance fashion as transcend it
41 mins
  -> I suggested other possibilities in the body of my entry. The main thing is to make it sound good in English while adhering to the spirit of the French. It depends on the client: verbatim translation or make it sound appealing to the target audience
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1 hr   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5
Our creations rise above fashion to bring out the best in it


Explanation:
Another possibility!

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 1 hr (2020-02-09 17:19:48 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

I also thought of this as a possible translation :

"Not dictated by fashion, our creations bring out the beauty in it".

Jane F
France
Local time: 10:39
Native speaker of: English
Notes to answerer
Asker: I like both of these! Thank you :)

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1 hr   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5
Our creations never go out of style, they set the pace!


Explanation:
I think this does the trick nicely. It's close enough to the original without falling into the trap of being too literal.

Setting the pace is a creative way to deal with "sublimer" as it means positioning yourself so that others must try to catch up or do better than you.

See an example at the link I provided.


    https://www.nytimes.com/1996/07/02/style/review-fashion-versace-s-male-pinups-set-the-pace.html
Debora Blake
France
Local time: 10:39
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish, Native in FrenchFrench
PRO pts in category: 8
Grading comment
This sounds great, thank you very much! It fits the style of the text perfectly. I really appreciate your help.

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
neutral  writeaway: I don't see how pace works in this particular context
4 hrs
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1 hr   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5
We go beyond Timeless


Explanation:
With a bit of poetic licence, and a bit snappier.might this get the idea across?

ormiston
Local time: 10:39
Works in field
Native speaker of: English
PRO pts in category: 24
Notes to answerer
Asker: This is a nice idea, thank you!

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