Backstory: How The Boucheron Quatre Continually Reimagines Its 4-Design Motif

Not many issues got here out of 2004 nonetheless look good immediately, however Boucheron’s Quatre has defied the chances: its fashionable, infinitely permutable and artistic design has made it a timeless star throughout the model’s firmament. And to have a good time the twentieth anniversary of a jewelry assortment that has withstood the passage of numerous developments within the a long time since its debut, this February 29—a date that comes simply as soon as each 4 years—Boucheron remodeled its historic four-storey Place Vendôme flagship into Membership Quatre, a heady disco paying homage to the 2000s. Company for the buzzy night included the maison’s first Korean world ambassador, actress Han So-hee; British tv presenter Alexa Chung; Saudi actress Mila Al Zahrani; Japanese singer and persona Rola; Polish mannequin Anja Rubik; and Filipino trend
influencer Coronary heart Evangelista.

And as a part of the year-long fête, the maison rallied its unique membership of ambassadors—together with its not too long ago introduced Chinese language world ambassador, the singer-actor Xiao Zhan—and pals to star in its “Extra Is Extra Is Extra” and “Icons” campaigns and specific their particular person model with the Quatre assortment. It additionally unveiled the Quatre Is 20 pop-up boutique to highlight archival supplies and host bodily and digital jewelry try-ons, in addition to a nail bar and on-site manicurist. (After Paris, Quatre Is 20 will journey via Seoul, Shanghai after which Tokyo this 12 months.)

Although it’s a comparatively younger assortment for the jewelry home based in 1858, the Quatre pays homage to 4 design codes gleaned from Boucheron’s historical past, become 4 bands which can be joined into one seamless kind: clou de Paris, impressed by the cobblestones within the French capital; grosgrain, a nod to ribbed silks and to the founding household’s heritage as drapers; a row of diamonds, representing the maison’s experience as a jeweller; and double gadroons, a fluted architecture-inspired sample first utilized in Boucheron’s jewelry within the 1860s that stands for togetherness and everlasting love. The 4 components are snapped collectively and held in place with out glue or solder, leading to a stackable composition that’s experimental, expressive, and, completely in keeping with the Boucheron spirit, endlessly enjoyable.

Ranging from a single ring in yellow gold, rose gold, white gold, and brown bodily vapour deposition (PVD) coating, the gathering has grown over time to embody bracelets, bangles, cuffs, sautoirs, pendants, earrings, ear clips and even a hair jewel; exaggerated proportions and openwork; and designs that includes just one or two of the 4 motifs. Given the maison’s give attention to innovation and expertise and its playful method to materiality, successive Quatre variations characteristic ceramic-polymer or PVD coating in white, blue, crimson or black; the Quatre Jean ring and bangle capsule fabricated utilizing denim; a collaboration with Saint-Gobain, which specialises in supplies for industrial purposes, on a Quatre ring with holographic ceramic; and even a excessive jewelry interpretation—the Boucheron Puissance Quatre bangles—for the 2023 Carte Blanche – Extra Is Extra assortment, made out of aluminium and colored with resin and lacquer.

As for the newest evolution of the Boucheron Quatre design? Novelties launched to mark its 20 years present how the metamorphosis of the Quatre is nowhere close to achieved: slim and extensive Quatre Classique chokers; necklaces composed of fifty Quatre Classique or Quatre Radiant Version rings strung collectively; a transformable multi-wear necklace; a cape comprising 315 Quatre rings (worn by Anja Rubik within the anniversary marketing campaign); a full suite of 12 Quatre bangles fitted collectively to resemble an enormous spool; a valuable interpretation of the Quatre Classique ring, bangle and necklace, with yellow sapphire baguettes and spessartite garnets set into the grosgrain and double gadroons, respectively.

“You may’t create an icon,” says Hélène Poulit-Duquesne, CEO of Boucheron. “Icons are wrought over time, and so they achieve that standing as a result of they ring a bell with folks.”

Images: Jaya Khidir
Artwork Course: Marisa Xin
Images Assistants: Nowo Kasturi And Ng Kai Ming

This story initially appeared within the June/July 2024 challenge of GRAZIA Singapore and Grazia.Sg

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