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Chopard Shines at the Cannes Film Festival for Eleventh Year
May 23, 2008
Luxury watch and jewelry company Chopard has a very special connection to the Cannes Film Festival. For the past eleven years Chopard has been a partner of the event, and the creator of the Festival’s highest award the Palm D’Or - the Golden Palm.
In 1997 luxury brand Chopard was looking to open a new boutique in the heart of Cannes, on the famous Boulevard de la Croisette. It was here that Chopard’s Co-President and Artistic Director Caroline Gruosi-Scheufele, came to meet Pierre Viot, President of the Cannes Film Festival. Mr. Viot asked Mrs. Gruosi-Scheufele if she and her master craftsmen at Chopard could re-design the Golden Palm award. The Golden Palm is given annually to the Director of the best film presented at the Festival.
On May 24, 1998 Caroline Gruosi-Scheufele unveiled her new concept of the award. The new design showcases a palm leaf motif, reminiscent of the coat of arms of the city of Cannes. A beveled heart, as the
crowning detail, is found at the end of the palm’s stem, and serves as a delicate hint of the Chopard symbol.
In addition to designing the top award for the Cannes Film Festival, Chopard plays another very important role during the twelve day event. The company skillfully dresses most of the stars taking part in the Festival, in jewels and watches for every red carpet event. Years ago, Caroline Gruosi-Scheufele was able to manage this task herself. Today Chopard employs a staff of over 100 people to work with the celebrities, helping them choose just the right pieces to complement their designer fashions. Diamond necklaces, earrings, bracelets, Chopard watches, cufflinks and studs are all available for actors, directors, producers and musicians to choose from. As a safety measure, a security guard accompanies every celebrity from the moment they receive their Chopard luxury items, to the time they return them.
In 2001, moved by their passion and their common desire to support young talent in film, Chopard and the Cannes Film Festival again united, creating a new award for exceptional talent: The Chopard Trophy. Since that time, the award has been given every year, naming one young actor and one young actress, the Male and Female Revelation of the Year. Past winners include Audrey Tatou, Gael Garcia Bernal, Diane Kruger and Jonathan Rhys-Meyers.
Over 4000 journalists are invited to the Cannes Film Festival each year. Their photographs and accounts of the event are then sent out to nearly every country in the world for publication. The Cannes Film Festival has indeed become one of the world’s most glamorous events. It is a twelve day parade of fashion, celebrity and luxury. As such, Chopard has become a perfect and invaluable partner to the festival. Caroline Gruosi-Scheufele has herself become a genuine star in Cannes, and has even been made an honorary citizen of the city.
Images:
Top Left: Chopard’s Caroline Gruosi-Scheufele, Bar Rafaeli, and designer Alberta Ferretti pose on a boat during the Cannes Film Festival. Gruosi-Scheufele and Ferretti collaborated on Desiderio, a jeweled dress that Rafaeli wore for the May 22nd AmfAR benefit gala.
Top Right: Gruosi-Scheufele at the Chopard Trophy Ceremony during Cannes, with Gwyneth Paltrow, trophy winners Omar Metwally, Spike Lee and Tang Wei on May 19th.
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