Chopard unveils 2017 Red Carpet Collection
The Red Carpet Collection unveiled by Chopard each year at the Cannes Film Festival provides the haute joaillerie maison with a recurring opportunity to push its artistic and creative limits. This year again, the brand is dazzling onlookers with its daring and vividly coloured creations and a unique, diamond-set Palme d’Or to celebrate the 70th Anniversary of the Cannes Film Festival
Chopard, since 1998, has been serving as Official Partner of the Cannes Film Festival, annually showcasing the quintessence of glamour through this creative alliance. The Red Carpet collection resulting from this special partnership was introduced in 2007 to mark the 60th anniversary of the festival. Intended to adorn stars for their red carpet appearances, the creations stem from the imagination of Caroline Scheufele, Chopard Co-President and Creative Director. Cleverly blending ancestral skills and cutting-edge techniques, they take shape through a fascinating synergy between the various talents exercised within the House.
In a constantly reiterated feat of creativity, the collection is annually enriched by an additional model, as Chopard takes up the extraordinary challenge of offering a number of unique jewellery pieces matching the number of Festival editions to date. Thus, for the 70th anniversary of the event, no less than 70 creations inspired by women will be unveiled.
The Red Carpet 2017 Collection
In addition to the 70th anniversary of the Festival, 2017 also marks the 20th edition in which Chopard is serving as official partner. For this anniversary collection, Caroline Scheufele has dreamed up creations with vivid colours brilliantly illustrating her boundless creativity and the expertise of the artists exercising their skills in the in-house High Jewellery ateliers. Earrings and bracelets have always been red carpet favourites, discreetly or distinctively accentuating a slender neck or dainty wrist.
This year’s Red Carpet Collection offers modern and audacious interpretations, whether in terms of design or materials. Chandelier earrings or round and supple models forming carpets of multi-coloured fine gemstones – to mention just these – are matched by broad cuff bracelets made of titanium featuring richly brocaded arabesque motifs. This extremely light metal provides scope for all kinds of fancy touches and may be tinted in an incredible broad palette of colours, thereby reinforcing the sparkle of the stones adorning it.
Rings adorned with coloured stones of all cuts and majestic necklaces round off this kaleidoscope ensuring a stunning celebration of 20 exceptional years shared by the world’s most prestigious film festival and the Maison Chopard.
The Palme d’Or
As the Cannes Film Festival marks its 70th anniversary, Chopard is celebrating 20 years of partnership with the world’s most glamorous film event. To commemorate this double anniversary, the Swiss jeweller has created an exceptional Palme d’Or. For the very first time, a cloud of diamonds adorns the precious Fairmined certified ethical gold leaf motif.
The unmistakable emblem of the famous film event, the Palme d’Or also symbolises the exceptional relationship between Chopard and the Festival. Re-designed by Caroline Scheufele in 1998 at the request of Pierre Viot, then President of the event, the newly interpreted trophy marked the start of a partnership that has been consistently reinforced over the years. Designed in Chopard’s Geneva jewellery ateliers, the precious palm is every inch a High Jewellery creation. The tip of its branch forms a tiny heart, a nod to one of the symbols of the Maison. As if swayed by a gentle breeze, its graceful leaves appear to be frozen in time for a brief moment.
Since 2014, the Palme has been made from ethical gold certified Fairmined. By endowing the famous award with a sense of virtue, Chopard and the Cannes Film Festival have written a new chapter in their joint history, thereby affirming their determination to work towards a civically minded form of luxury respectful of people and the environment.
Diamond-set Palme d’Or
In 2017, the Palme d’Or is taking on an unprecedented ethical glow that further enhances its prestige. Like stardust, diamonds sourced from a supplier certified by the Responsible Jewellery Council (RJC) sparkle on the iconic leaves surrounding its dainty stem. Made of 118 grams of 18-carat yellow ethical gold certified Fairmined, the Palme rests on a rock crystal cushion shaped like an emerald-cut diamond. This ultimate detail renders the trophy truly unique, since nature never yields two identical rock crystals. It takes the five artisans of the Geneva-based House no less than 40 hours of work to hand-craft the most coveted gem of the Festival.
The Journey to Sustainable Luxury
For several years, Chopard had been demonstrating its commitment to corporate responsibility, placing it at the very core of its values. A member of the Responsible Jewellery Council (RJC), which plays a leading role in establishing environmental, social and ethical standards, the Maison has created in conjunction with Eco-Age founder, Livia Firth, a programme named The Journey to Sustainable Luxury. First launched in May 2013 at the 66th Cannes Festival, this broad-scale project takes the form of significant projects aimed at fostering the development of sustainable luxury.
