The Turtle pendant. Courtesy of Charlotte Chesnais.
Chesnais, meanwhile, seized the chance to “geek out” by styling her double-C signature as Calder-esque wire sculptures made specifically for showing how certain of her more conceptual pieces should be worn. “They look so different flat than worn, I wanted to show what it like it is in my head,” she explained. (Anyone who’s spent time puzzling over, say, the Bond and Ivy bracelets, a Symi necklace or a trompe l’oeil ear cuff will be grateful).
The Ribbon ring. Courtesy of Charlotte Chesnais.
The Turtle ring. Courtesy of Charlotte Chesnais.
While classics old and new are all here, including the pearl collection launched with Matches in September, this new boutique offers the designer—as its topography suggests—a longed-for chance to break free of seasonal and retail constraints and go with the flow. Some pieces will be available in this space and nowhere else, such as limited series and a smattering of fine jewelry one-offs, like the Round Trip set with an eight-plus carat pink tourmaline, or the Initial ring with a three-carat sapphire, both of which premiere exclusively here.
The Initial ring. Courtesy of Charlotte Chesnais.
@Christophe.ChaverouEventually, Chesnais would like to use her new boutique as a curation space for other artists’ work, too. “Even though everything’s moved online, I wanted to keep it personal. I like the old school idea of shopping, the spirit of a little house, and the idea that these pieces won’t be anywhere but here,” she said. In any case, she still hasn’t gotten into online shopping for herself. “I need to be able to touch things. The only thing I buy online is diapers!”
The Charlotte Chesnais boutique is located at 10 rue d’Alger in Paris.