Cover CEO Hélène Poulit-Duquesne wears a Lierre de Paris necklace (Photo: Boucheron)
CEO Hélène Poulit-Duquesne wears a Lierre de Paris necklace (Photo: Boucheron)
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Hélène Poulit-Duquesne has led a transformative evolution at Boucheron as its visionary CEO. She discusses breathing new life into the historic French jewellery brand and her obsession with innovation
While sitting together in the VIP room of Boucheron’s newly refurbished boutique at The Shoppes at Marina Bay Sands in December, Hélène Poulit-Duquesne tells us that it was her first time in Singapore. It comes as a surprise given that the French native is a veteran of the luxury industry, having started her career at LVMH before joining Cartier in 1998, where she worked until 2015 when she took on her current role of CEO at Boucheron.
This visit is significant and also emblematic of Poulit-Duquesne’s plans for Boucheron. While the Paris-based jeweller is a prestigious name in Singapore, it has not shared quite the same prominence that other brands of its status have here. But this is changing under Poulit‑Duquesne’s leadership, not just in Singapore and Asia but across the world where the brand has been making its presence felt and redefining its identity.
In case you missed it: Boucheron’s Carte Blanche: More is More is not your typical high jewellery collection
Above CEO Hélène Poulit-Duquesne wears a Lierre de Paris necklace (Photo: Boucheron)
CEO Hélène Poulit-Duquesne wears a Lierre de Paris necklace (Photo: Boucheron)
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In her own words, Boucheron has been a “sleeping beauty”, with a brand image that is “not damaged in any way but its story is blurry” and Poulit-Duquesne has been working to reawaken the brand. Since joining Boucheron, she led a transformative period marked by three major focal points. The first was re-establishing its identity. “My priority was really to control the vision I had for this rebirth of Boucheron by differentiating ourselves from the competition and telling a single story. We came up with our key statement, which is to be the most cutting edge and creative high jewellery brand in Place Vendôme,” she says. “We are a historical brand coming from Paris with 160 years of history, but on top of that we are innovative, creative and cutting edge, which is different from the rest of the competition.”
Secondly, she sought to boost the brand’s range of products. “There were no issues with the products themselves, which was really important as I come from a marketing background,” says Poulit‑Duquesne. Rather, she conducted a thorough analysis of Boucheron’s product offerings, mapping out the brand’s portfolio in order to strengthen its position in terms of variety and pricing.
The third part of her strategy was to expand the brand geographically, with a particular emphasis on entering markets such as China, where there were previously no Boucheron boutiques, and redeveloping the Korea, Japan and Taiwan markets. There are also plans to enter the US market this year.
Above The VIP room at Boucheron’s boutique at The Shoppes at Marina Bay Sands (Photo: Boucheron)
The VIP room at Boucheron’s boutique at The Shoppes at Marina Bay Sands (Photo: Boucheron)
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Poulit-Duquesne’s emphasis on the innovative spirit of Boucheron has also come through in recent years, especially in collections such as Carte Blanche, which was first launched in 2020.
This collection, marked by its unconventional use of materials and quirky designs, reflects Boucheron’s commitment to pushing boundaries and staying ahead of the curve. The latest Carte Blanche collection unveiled in 2023, themed More is More, embraced vibrant colours, surprising volumes and innovative materials with creations such as an oversized bow crafted in white gold, bio-acetate and magnesium set with diamonds that can be worn as a hair accessory or a brooch—her favourite piece in the collection.
Above Boucheron Carte Blanche: More is More Tie the Knot brooch and hair jewel in white gold, bio‑acetate and magnesium set with diamonds (Photo: Boucheron)
Boucheron Carte Blanche: More is More Tie the Knot brooch and hair jewel in white gold, bio‑acetate and magnesium set with diamonds (Photo: Boucheron)
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The CEO acknowledges the collection’s success, attributing it to Boucheron creative director Claire Choisne, and their dynamic partnership. “It’s the craziest collection we’ve had in the past few years. We really pushed the boundaries because Claire had no barrier in terms of the material, colour or even the size of the objects,” she says, adding, “Claire and myself are also both obsessed with progress and innovation, and we feel we have a duty and mission to push the boundaries again, to be sure that we’re bringing Boucheron to the next chapter.”
This mission feels like a natural one for the duo, given that innovation is part of Boucheron’s DNA. “Our founder Frédéric Boucheron used to be considered as the most innovative and creative man in jewellery of his time,” says Poulit-Duquesne. “He was winning all the prizes in the international exhibitions, creative in the way he was doing business, and also innovative, inventing the Question Mark necklace in 1879.” The iconic asymmetrical necklace was designed to be worn comfortably around the neck without a clasp, thanks to an ingenious spring system.
Above Boucheron Plume de Paon necklace in yellow gold with diamonds (Photo: Boucheron)
Boucheron Plume de Paon necklace in yellow gold with diamonds (Photo: Boucheron)
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Poulit-Duquesne’s role in this mission is to not only push Choisne creatively but also protect and allow her the creative freedom. “I think that creative people need to be protected and I feel it’s the job of the CEO to create a safe environment for Claire so that she can really express her stories and who she is and her creativity,” she says. “And she knows that I can be even crazier than her so she feels free to push the boundaries creatively.”
This spirit of creativity and innovation has resonated with the younger generation of jewellery lovers, says Poulit-Duquesne, even though it was not her explicit intention. “I think it’s because we are probably on the frontline of creating newness in the market and it creates interest in the younger generation,” she explains. “And we are not innovating for the sake of innovation. We are innovating because we are pursuing dreams and we have a vision, so it is really genuine; we feel free, and we want to have fun, and it so happens that it becomes relevant to the younger generation.”
Annabel Tan is the Editor of Watches and Jewellery at Tatler Singapore, where she covers all things luxury timepieces and fine jewellery across both print and digital platforms. She is also the Editor of Tatler GMT Singapore, a role that deepens her fascination with the ever-evolving world of watchmaking. Outside of work, she’s usually on the hunt for her next favourite watch that she can’t afford, planning her next beach getaway, or catching up on the latest Formula 1 race.
