SimplyAbuDhabi XXXIII

Simply Abu Dhabi: Which is the concept behind Boucheron’s new flagship store? And how do you feel about this milestone? Hélène Poulit-Duquesne: When I had in mind to revamp our 26 Place Vendôme store, I wanted to combine the best of our past and lead this into the future. The past is the brand’s patrimony and we learn from it and we need to take care of it to then evolve. So what I wanted to give to this space was not the sense of boutique but instead, I wanted to give a family house feeling to it. So, I spoke with Monsieur Pinault, owner of Kering as well as of Boucheron’s HQ building, who was inspired yet curious about my vision. So also, in terms of architects, I didn’t contact major retail architects but instead I worked with Michel Gutal, who is famous in France for having restored some of the most historic buildings and Pierre Yve Rochon, who has never worked in retail but mostly in the hotellerie world. When he came to my office, Gutal said to me “we have to reconquer this iconic space”. So, we developed this boutique as a family house where on the ground floor you welcome your friends. I don’t want them to be called customers, but friends. In fact, if you see the tables, they are not square, but round, creating that sense of unity that can make people, customers and friends bond together. The displays where jewels are stored inside are not simple displays, but you can see through them, allowing you as a friend/customer to have a better vision of the piece but not be frightened by its magnificence and opulence. And this reflection extends to my employees who I don’t see as “workers”, but rather as my children who I have to guide for their growth. I feel myself as the “big mama” of Boucheron who has to lead the business into a wide and prosperous future. Simply Abu Dhabi: How will you celebrate this landmark anniversary? Hélène Poulit-Duquesne: We already started last year with the Vendorama exhibition and then we opened the store quietly before Christmas until the 20th January where we held a big party with the Maison’s friends. But in the near future what we will do is to export the opening of this store around the world, telling the magnificent story behind this unique building which was previously the Nocé Hôtel Partìculier and was already declared a historical monument in 1930. We still are very proud of these certificates that we keep as a treasure as we are the only building in Place Vendôme with this prestige and curved windows and green marble arches designed by Mr. Boucheron himself. Simply Abu Dhabi: What about the Middle East? What is the relationship between Boucheron and our Region? Hélène Poulit-Duquesne: Well, our relationship with the Middle East is simply amazing and what I love especially is the high image we have in the region. Compared with other countries or regions such as Japan where we are conceived as “low” and mostly as bridal, Middle Eastern customers have perfectly understood our DNA and our craftsmanship which has allowed us over decades to create some dazzling and unique pieces of art. SimplyAbuDhabi: How isHigh Jewellery performing and what do you think are the strengths of Boucheron in this field? Hélène Poulit-Duquesne: High jewellery is our centre of gravity, everything starts from there and when you enter one of our stores, you can ask for anything you want and we will manage to create it. We created some incredible object d’arts for some customers and incredible one-of–a-kind custom- made necklaces and jewels and we love that. In fact, with high jewellery, as we have always done, we can push the boundaries also thanks to our creative director Claire Choisne, who is doing an incredible job here at Boucheron, working very closely with her master jeweller artisans and knowing exactly how a jewel is crafted also thanks to her professional education. Simply Abu Dhabi: What about your iconic collections such as Quatre and Serpent Boheme? Hélène Poulit-Duquesne: They are going really well and you will see in future new developments, but now we have launched Jack, our new fun collection, very versatile and perfect for the modern and up-to-date woman. SimplyAbuDhabi: In terms of clientele, what is the current age range of your clients? Are you interested in the digital Millennials? Hélène Poulit-Duquesne: I’m so fascinated by them. You know, our 20-year-old or something clientele is growing. And what’s surprising is that they buy some expensive pieces! And what I have noticed is that their interest in jewellery starts when they are planning to get married and from then on, they start to become loyal clients. Simply Abu Dhabi: What about men? Are men becoming aficionados of the brand? Hèlène Poulit-Duquesne: It’s increasing slightly, now 30% of our customers are men but, of course, our main focus is women. And, last but not least, we will soon start to redevelop our object d’art department creating for our most demanding clients’ unique objects for their lives. SimplyAbuDhabi: Finally, as awoman, what are the three pieces of jewellery you think a woman should own? Hélène Poulit-Duquesne: Without doubt, the Quatre ring, the romantic Serpent Boheme earrings and our iconic Question Mark necklace which always delights people’s eyes and your inner self confidence. 8 0 S I M P LY A B U DH A B I