Coralie Charriol Paul charts course for sustainable luxury
Charriol is going plastic-free, says its CEO. ‘My father’s generation, this was not his thing’
In her second year at the helm of the company founded by her father, Coralie Charriol Paul continues to honor his legacy, but is also slowly if decisively charting her own course and that of their namesake brand.
Paul, who took over the Swiss luxury jewelry and watch brand in 2019 following the death of her founder father, Philippe Charriol, unveiled in a virtual meeting with Philippine media last week the Celtic Legacy Collection, a remake of her dad’s most successful watch from the 1980s.
In the same breath, she also disclosed her move to make Charriol plastic-free in all its packaging, a move that’s consistent with her environmental causes. Charriol paper bags in the past had a thin coat of plastic that made them nonrecyclable, she said.
Even the jewelry boxes had some plastic, which gave them that delicious creaky sound at the hinge. She’s doing away with that, too. These are compromises that she feels are necessary for a luxury brand in this era.
“My father’s generation, this was not his thing, the baby boomers. They are the ones who created all this mess,” she said in half-jest. “But you know we won’t get mad at them . . . ”
Eco-warrior
Since the pandemic, Paul has been sequestered in Geneva, where she and her husband Dennis Paul and their three children moved after living for 20 years in New York, to run the company headquarters.
She was long speculated as her dad’s heir apparent, she who inherited his drive and joie de vivre, primed for the job through years in various positions that covered everything from creative to sales.
She’s now officially executive chair, CEO and creative director of Charriol. “I do everything!” she said. Her younger brother, Alexander, is art director and director of licenses.
The marketing videos she showed at the Zoom meeting—save for one featuring twin models in Paris—were all done at home, with an iPhone, by family, she said with a laugh.
It was six years ago when Paul’s journey as an eco-warrior started. She had just given birth to her youngest child when a friend invited her to go surfing “to lose the baby weight.”
“I was born in Hawaii so I must have had the surfing bug,” she said. Like her father was into car racing, Paul fell in love with the water and it sparked her desire to support wildlife conservation.
Thus began her involvement with Lonely Whale Foundation, an ocean conservation organization cofounded by her friend, the actor Adrian Grenier. On her last visit to Manila in 2019, she screened “The Story of Plastic,” an eco-documentary she produced with her husband.
Ocean motifs
She has also started incorporating ocean motifs in her Charriol designs, like her Ocean Tales watch and bangles, a portion of the sales of which go to conservation projects. From turtles, she has also used elephants and polar bears in the designs.
“There’s a connection . . . the largest mammal on the planet losing its habitat; our oceans, which links us all, as we found out through COVID; and the polar ice caps melting . . . In Charriol, we love the planet,” she said.
Paul has also already started to look into using recycled steel for their signature Celtic cable jewelry and watches, a decidedly more expensive way to do things, she has found out, so she’s studying their options. “We have to balance out. I don’t want our prices to go up, either.”
For now, she said, it’s the packaging where she could make the fastest change.
Paul said they discovered new retail opportunities online during the lockdown, as people have been buying more investment pieces. She’s banking on consumers willing to part with their cash more as soon as they get the vaccine. “I’m hoping that we’re gonna go have a little bit of fun.”
In the Philippines, Charriol remains under the distributorship of Stores Specialists Inc. (SSI). The Tantocos of SSI and Rustan’s and the Charriols are lifelong friends.
As she presented the gifting pieces for Valentine’s, including customizable statement bangles, Paul admitted that her husband is not a fan of the holiday, so instead of gifts, they tend to write each other love letters.
“So, for the girls, if your man’s not going to buy it for you, go ahead and buy it for yourself,” she said with a laugh. “Don’t wait for any man to buy it for you. Go buy it yourself!” INQ
IWe will be away from our family and loved ones, so why not just celebrate with friends?
Lovi Poe Actress
t’s going to be a “locked-in” Valentine’s Day for the cast of GMA Public Affairs new series “Owe My Love.” And while some of them will be spending the day away without their partners, they believe that this year’s occasion is still bound to be fun and memorable.
“After all, it’s not how you spend it, but who you spend it with,” Lovi said in a virtual conference for the said romantic-comedy series. “Last year was beautiful, because I was with my special someone (Monty Blencowe). But this year’s will be memorable as well, because we will be with the whole team.”
There are other ways to celebrate Valentine’s Day. And technology, she pointed out, is there to help them connect with people outside.
“We will be away from our family and loved ones, so why not just celebrate with friends? You can do virtual meetings, too,” said Lovi, who will be taping with her costars in Bulacan until March. “I can’t ask for anything more here.”
The good news, however, is that Feb. 14 will be a day off. And the cast—which includes Benjamin Alves, Ai-Ai delas Alas, Leo Martinez, Winwyn Marquez, Jackie Lou Blanco, Kiray, Nova Villa and Ruby Rodriguez—are planning to have lunch together.
“Ms Ai promised to cook for us—she has a really good pasta recipe. Kiray always has ayuda delivered, so we never go hungry on the set. It’s going to be great. Love is never lacking here,” Benjamin said. “All of us left people outside, but I’m happy here—we feel like we’re already family. It doesn’t matter if it’s Valentine’s Day.”
Besides, Ben has already foreseen this happening, so he made the most out of his time with his girlfriend, model and influencer Chelsea Robato, before the taping.
“Bumawi ako before our locked-in taping. We went on a vacation last month in Boracay for a couple of days ... like a New Year’s and Valentine’s celebration in one. After that,
I had to quarantine and then have swab tests in preparation for work,” Benjamin said. “And she has been supportive. After our taping, maybe we can celebrate my birthday (March 31).”
Lovi, on the other hand, spent the holidays in Los Angeles, California, where her British boyfriend is based.
“I felt like that was good enough,” she said.
“Owe My Love,” which airs weeknights on GMA 7 starting Feb. 15, follows the lives of characters Sensen (Lovi) and Dr. Migs (Benjamin), and how debt and love for family brought them together.
Lighthearted
Sensen is a nursing school undergrad who quits her studies and takes on several jobs to keep her family’s finances afloat. Migs is a heart surgeon and a television financial adviser whose father, Lolo Badong (Leo) is suffering from middle-stage dementia.
After a series of unfortunate events, Sensen—who had to pay off her father’s gambling losses and her sick sibling’s hospital bills—found herself indebted to Dr. Migs, who offers a proposition: Sensen takes care of his father as payment. The issue, however, is that Lolo Badong thinks Sensen and Dr. Migs are married, forcing them to pretend that they’re a real couple.
“Ben and I have done horror and drama before, so this one’s very different. The series is lighthearted. Despite the challenges in the characters’ lives, they still try their best to be happy ... I can relate to my character, who’s always there for her family through thick and thin. She’s like many of us—we do everything for our families,” she said.
Benjamin echoed Lovi’s sentiments, saying that doing a romantic comedy is a breath of fresh air for both of them.
“I’m glad because the viewers will get to see a different side to us ... our more fun, comedic side,” said Benjamin, who has worked with Lovi on the films “Sana Dati” and “Guni-Guni.”
“The show is quite timely because it teaches us financial literacy, which is important, now more than ever ... It’s about how we stick together as a family to brave the challenges,” he added.