"If you’d like see it published in the papers…" the interviewer barely chokes out.
"As long as it will get me on the front page, why not?" the designer quips back before adding "I am only kidding." He laughs, and everyone realizes he was just being a ham, that he was just having fun.
Philippe Charriol races cars. That is a widely-publicized fact. What very few people are aware of is that he races cars not only on the track, but also on ice. Philippe drives specially-designed lightweight race cars on enormous ice rinks in the mountains of France. It’s a sport of extreme thrill and extreme risk, a rush the designer seems to enjoy.
Philippe Charriol appreciates fun and enjoys risk, two qualities that have enabled him to build one of the most successful luxury brands in the world. When he started out 20 years ago in the basement of their New York residence (this tidbit comes courtesy of Mrs. Charriol), Philippe was taking a risk on a concept that was totally unheard of especially in the jewelry industry. This concept was inspired by an ancient Celtic piece, a necklace made of eight gold strands twisted together – The "Snettisham torc." Philippe Charriol modified this Celtic find, using steel cables as primary material. Silver and the discreet "C" emblem add a touch of luxury to the rather industrial concept.
This "cable" look, when it was first launched, was intended for people always on the look-out for something new and fresh. Twenty years later, the trendy has become a classic. The silver steel cable jewelry is now a must-have, transcending trends. However, Philippe realizes that "the emblematic product becomes such a classic to the point of becoming dangerous. Everybody loves it until the day it becomes boring." To retain its reputation as an industry trendsetter and a brand that never bores, Charriol constantly tries to reinvent its signature concept.
The latest innovation is the black cable collection – a solution to finding a new color to steel, giving the signature collection a brand-new look. "Very appreciated in this part of this world," the black cables are a younger, trendier alternative to silver twisted coils that we have come to associate with the brand. Six months ago, the brand also introduced the use of magnets in its jewelry, an ingenious and practical design that replaces the hook-latch widely used as jewelry clasps.
Putting a playful twist to the silver steel collection, the new season launches the Masai collection. Inspired by an African tribe – the Masai – whose women wear stacks of silver or gold rings to elongate their necks, the signature cable comes as a multi-layered design for the necklace and ring, and a continuously twisting coil for the arm band.
Sharing in Philippe’s passion for design is daughter, Coralie, a visitor to Manila a couple of years back (and recently wed to a New York-based investment banker in a magnificent week-long celebration in the alpine retreat of Megeve). Her namesake, the Coralie Jewelry Collection, is a full range of exquisite rings, bangles, and pendants that make use of 18K yellow gold and semi-precious stones. She also takes charge of designing the leather brand’s leather goods, the latest collection dubbed "Escapade" and featuring leather and canvas creations named after cities frequented by the jetsetting styling woman. Says the proud father, "Coralie is the one behind me, pushing me with new ideas. She gives me energy when I am lacking."
Inseparable from the jewelry industry is the art of watchmaking. Philippe Charriol takes advantage of this relationship by introducing various collections of timepieces that bespeak elegance and luxury. His Christopher Colombvs collection, named after the popular explorer, recently introduced the Actor series–watches in unusually large dimensions and with wristbands of distinct width. The Actor comes in Tonneau or rectangle shape, and in different sizes – from mini to medium, large, XL, and XXL. Interchangeable straps allow the watch to change its personality, in the same way that an actor takes on different characters with different costume changes. The collection was christened by Philippe himself. "I thought it would play a big role in the watch industry and I also figured it’s an easy way to bring big-name actors into the promotion."