The Imagination Has To Travel: Boucheron’s Claire Choisne On Dreaming Up Otherworldly Creations

by Laura KellAugust 22, 2022August 23, 2022

Bazaar Arabia speaks to the French jewellery brand’s creative director about its newest collection of delights: Ailleurs

French luxury jeweller Boucheron released their latest high jewellery collection this summer, titled Ailleurs. The collection — part of its Carte Blanche range — is, effectively, a visual translation of creative director Claire Choisne’s perception of the fantastical elements and true beauty that mother nature offers us; a tribute to her greatest achievements in texture and tone, reimagined in the form of earrings, broaches and collars. The collection features five individual stories (or “worlds,” if you like) inspired by the contrasting elements.

Ailleurs HJ — A closer look at Leaf Woman’s Toucan bracelet, set citrines and rubellites, paved with white and black spinels in titanium

Bazaar Arabia sits down with Claire to talk about the effect of the pandemic on her process; the concept’s influence on her connection with nature; and her personal preferences from Ailleurs.

Harper’s Bazaar Arabia (HBA): Has the Ailleurs Collection changed your relationship with nature in any way?

Claire Choisne (CC): For the carte blanche Ailleurs collection, my goal was to pay tribute to the raw beauty of nature. This collection confirmed that the precious is offered to us by nature, and that we all must become aware of it and see it.

As I often say, to me, the most beautiful things on earth are the ones created by nature, and this beauty is precious to me. That’s why our Carte Blanche collections keep on questioning a sense of beauty, even beyond the sense of precious. Through hard times, nature is probably the ultimate comforting place; it’s been here forever so it conveys a feeling of safety. Also, the beauty nature offers is genuine as it was not created by human hands. I think the quest for authentic beauty is more important in times of crisis, as we want to get away from the artificial world.

Coquillage diamant pendants earrings on Sand Woman in naturel shell fusinus colus and mother-of-pearl, paved with diamonds in white gold

HBA: You started working on Ailleurs at the beginning of the pandemic in 2020 and were forced to deal with certain constraints when creating the collection (lockdowns, travel disruptions, etc.) How did this affect how you work?

CC: The collection was imagined in early 2020, indeed, when the whole world was in lockdown, which was actually good for creativity and imagination. I was in a safe place in Portugal, where I was not polluted by the daily agitations [of city life]. At that time, my dream was to escape, to travel.

Working on this collection was a way to travel, through imagination, yet not being able to travel for inspiration with my team was the first challenge. The good thing is that there was no creative limit; so it was also great, in a way.

A closer look at Sand Woman’s Gazelle ring, set diamond and onyx, paved with round and baguette diamonds in pink gold

The whole team was still working during the lockdown. Although staying at home and taking care of our families made the progress slightly slow down, we still finished a collection… Since there was only one day to prepare before the lockdown, the IT department provided us with laptops; the creative team packed up the paper, necessary tools, and pens. We also maintain communications through the social and work software. Therefore, despite many uncertainties have happened, we were doing our best to achieve our goals. We were happy and excited to present this new collection.

Pebble Woman wears the elephant ring paved with diamonds and set with two onyx, in white gold and titanium; along with the ourse polaire ring, set with rose cut diamonds, black sapphires and onyx in white gold

HBA: Were you particularly challenged when working with any of the materials?

CC: As you know both our CEO, Hélène Poulit-Duquesne, and I are into innovation and pushing the boundaries of high jewellery; she really supports me in my creativity. For this collection, we had to identify and source unexpected and not traditional materials. Since the beginning, I knew it would be a great challenge — but I also knew I was surrounded by incredible individuals; our craftsmen are genius.

As the collection was all about innovation and creativity, we faced a few technical challenges when crafting the pieces, since many raw materials were a first for us: for example rattan is a flexible material, so we had to make it hard to be worked with; pebbles were hollowed out to avoid weight; identical shells had to be found for the earrings and the Jack brooch; and the butterfly wings’ pigments had to be stabilised. We ended up finding a technical solution for almost all of [the challenges.]

The best part is that when I saw the results of the final pieces, they matched what I originally had in my head. I was so happy, I had a big smile all over my face. That’s funny because when you see the pieces, you forget all the issues, all the work and challenges, and you only appreciate the emotions. I felt relieved and joyful. This collection was full of emotions and surprises.

Earth Woman wears cristaux pendants earrings in smoky quartz, paved with round and baguette diamonds in white gold

HBA: If the pandemic hadn’t happened, do you think the creative outcome of Ailleurs would have been the same?

CC: The collection’s name means Elsewhere in French. This elsewhere is somewhere in nature, which has always been a source of inspiration to myself and Boucheron. It is comprised of five imaginary worlds, without any geographical constraints nor creative limitations; each of them conveys a different atmosphere and sensations.

Volcano Man wears Octopus earring in mother-of-pearl, paved with diamonds, in white gold

The pandemic only changed the way we work as a team. First, we brainstormed; then we started creating mood boards where colours, feelings, and theatmospheres are different, and then we imagined the people that could live in each of these magical worlds. As it was an imaginary travel, I could do anything; I didn’t have to choose. For example, the Pebble Woman is quiet and calm whereas the Leaf Woman is more lively and energetic. Only after[ we created a backstory], we worked on the pieces associated with each universe. I wanted to pay tribute to raw materials that are found in nature and mix them with traditional jewellery materials such as diamonds and gold.

HBA: I won’t ask you which piece or “world” within the collection is your favourite (as we know this question is akin to asking if you have a favourite child), but is there a particular one you feel connected to right now?

CC: As you said, it would be impossible for me to answer this question! Because these pieces/worlds are all so different from one another, in terms of materials, techniques, or esthetics. For me, all the facets of your personality are in each look. It changes every day, depending on the day, of the mood. But today, I feel like the Earth Woman, and I would like to wear the Bois Diamant shoulder brooch.

HBA: What’s the biggest lesson you learned throughout creating Ailleurs Collection?

CC: I realised that by travelling through imagination, we could also maintain a close connection with nature and appreciate its beauty.

Images Supplied.