Boucheron's Big Bang

(NEW YORK) "It's a 360-degree Boucheron experience," said Jean-Christophe Bedos, CEO of Boucheron, yesterday at the Plaza Athénée. "To celebrate our 150 years of history, we are going to launch a multifaceted program in the United States." Bedos was in town for Thursday's premiere of Désir at Spiegelworld at the South Street Seaport, a burlesque show designed to celebrate Boucheron's illustrious history. The unique collaboration between the high-end jeweler and entertainer should be awe-inspiring, especially given the sparkler-stocked Boucheron pop-up shop next door. The show will remain in New York through November before hiting the road for the next two-and-a-half years, stopping first in Miami, then Los Angeles, Las Vegas, Chicago and Texas.

Although the brand owns and operates a boutique in San Francisco, an outpost has yet to arrive in New York. Come September, that will change. "We are going to open a private salon at the Plaza Athénée," Bedos announced. "We have a suite that we will customize and really brand for Boucheron." The exclusive setting will enable customers to commission bespoke pieces. The brand will also launch its first U.S. e-commerce site next month. "We launched a site in Europe last year, and it has been incredible. Now we want to have one here," Bedos continued. Additionally, the brand has partnerered exclusively with Neiman Marcus to sell the commercial collection in Miami and Los Angeles. As each brand opens, the Spiegelworld show will follow. "It's a very unique approach," noted Bedos.

To toast its explosion in the American jewelry market, Boucheron will host a gala on September 8 during New York's Fashion Week. The party will be co-hosted by Vladimir Restoin-Roitfeld and Vanessa Traina. Although the party will share a time slot with the Marc Jacobs show, the Boucheron team expects it to go late into the night. Who knows? Jacobs himself may even stop by-we've spotted him wearing a Boucheron ring from time to time.
ASHLEY BAKER & NOLA WEINSTEIN