“I draw inspiration from the women I see every day in Paris, New York or wherever I am traveling,” explains Alexandre Corrot, founder of Djula, with boutiques in Paris and New York City. The French-born Corrot seeks to capture a woman’s personality in his diamond designs. Yet he admits that every piece of his jewelry embodies l’esprit française — the inimitable trend-setting style of Parisian women.
Designing jewelry is more than a profession to Corrot; it is a passion that was initially driven by his love of timepieces. To him, jewelry and watches belong to the “same universe.” In 1994, at the age of 24, this self-taught jeweler opened a boutique on Paris’ Left Bank, the first of his now six stores in the French capital. His goal, then and now, is to create designs in diamonds that are sleek, fashion forward and affordable.
Glam Rock in Diamonds
“The jewelry world has always been very traditional,” says Corrot, who subscribes to a “no rules” design philosophy, influenced by his interest in contemporary art. “I like to play with extremes — breaking the jewelry rules by imaging graphic and punk pieces set in precious stones.” From his Glam Rock collection of gold and diamond hoop earrings, stars, leaves, feathers and snakes to his delicate Art Deco–inspired Lace collection, Corrot adds “unexpected pieces” into a mix of timeless and refined designs. His Barbed Wire collection symbolizing strength and freedom is especially popular among his target market — fashion-savvy women who buy their own jewelry and do not wait for a special occasion to treat themselves. Price points for this collection begin at under $400 and go up to almost $20,000.
“Diamonds embody love, eternity and purity — the message that every piece of Djula jewelry carries,” says Corrot, who from the start incorporated diamonds in his designs. He uses VS2 clarity, switching to SI stones when the designs call for micropavé. The claw diamond settings are handmade. Over the past two to three years, Corrot has expanded his collection to include gemstones. “We received so many requests for emeralds, especially in the Middle East, says Corrot, that I created my Precious collection, which pairs diamonds and emeralds. In his early career, he set his pieces in silver or vermeil, but switched to 18-karat gold exclusively in response to customers’ wishes. Most of his designs are available in yellow, white, rose or black gold. Reflecting his core values, all diamonds, gemstones and metals are sourced from non-conflict areas.
Personality Match
“I want every client who walks into one of our boutiques to find the perfect piece that fits her personality — whether it is a young woman buying her first ring for herself or a woman who owns more traditional jewelry and wants to accessorize with a “wow” piece,” says Corrot. One of Djula’s strengths is the extensive range of product carried in the boutiques. “It is important to give our customers a wide selection,” Corrot points out, citing the more than 200 different ring styles. Many of the rings and bracelets are suitable for stacking, which he encourages noting, “I want my clients to create their own unique style.” Jennifer Lawrence, Rihanna, Céline Dion and Taylor Swift, among others, have worn his jewelry.
With his passion for watches still very strong, Corrot creates timepieces for both women and men. In 2013, he launched Djula Homme, his men’s jewelry collection, which incorporates ethnic and tribal elements as talismans. In addition to his Barbed Wire collection for men, he created Protection with pieces that feature a stylized eye in white or black diamonds “looking out” for the wearer.
Distinctively French
A frequent traveler to the U.S., Corrot always dreamed of having a store in New York City. In 2015, he opened his first U.S. store on Madison Avenue and early this year opened another in SoHo — affording Djula a prestigious location with the former and the “remarkably hip vibe” of the latter, according to Jessica Corrot, Alexandre’s wife and director of Djula. His next venture, a store in Beverly Hills, California, is slated to open this month.
While the Madison Avenue and SoHo boutiques at 430 square feet and 650 square feet, respectively, are larger than their counterparts in Paris, they embrace the ambience that is an essential part of the brand’s DNA. “Almost everything is distinctively French,” Jessica points out. Like a jewel box, the stores are filled with diamonds displayed in glass cases set against walls covered in silver wallpaper that adds a luxurious reflection to the sparkling stones. All the decorative elements — the cases, wallpaper, marble floor and tables — have been imported from France. The SoHo store also boasts a window dedicated to Corrot’s collection of Haute Joaillerie — Exceptional Jewelry — carried in his boutique on Paris’ exclusive rue du Faubourg Saint-Honoré.
“Our clients can be glamorous, chic or rock ‘n’ roll,” says Corrot. “Whoever they are, they can find the piece of jewelry that makes them feel unique and special.”
Article from the Rapaport Magazine - July 2017. To subscribe click here.