There is no film festival as synonymous with glamour as the fashion-filled fortnight that takes place each May in Cannes—and at the heart of the Côte d’Azur-based extravaganza is its longtime partner, Chopard.
It all began when Caroline Scheufele, the Swiss house’s cinema-loving artistic director, opened a boutique in the postcard-worthy town in 1997. Noting that the prestigious prize given to the festival winner could do with a bit of a zhuzh (which is putting it mildly, given that it was made from plexiglass at the time) she asked the then-president for a meeting. “Little did I know I would come out with the Palme d’Or and the challenge to redesign it,” she told a crowd who gathered to celebrate her latest couture collection at Hotel Martinez on Thursday night.
But enough about the past. As always, Chopard’s week was off to a busy, busy start. As soon as the first celebrity steps touches down in Nice airport, it’s likely that they are soon making their way to a plush styling suite to select their red carpet-ready jewels. The house also hosts international friends of the brand, who fly from far and wide to marvel at the 72 different one-of-a-kind haute joaillerie creations that will debut during Cannes. You’ve perhaps seen some of them too: jury member Demi Moore’s opening night necklace was just one of the scene-stealers.
On Friday evening, Scheufele was joined at the world premiere of Guillaume Canet’s Karma starring Marion Cotillard by Odessa A’zion, Connor Swindells, and Isabelle Huppert. Hours later, A’zion and Swindells would be honored during the Trophée Chopard dinner; an annual black tie ceremony spotlighting up-and-coming talent. As the latest recipients, the American actress and English actor follow in the footsteps of past honorees Diane Kruger, Florence Pugh, Anya Taylor-Joy, Joe Alwyn, John Boyega, Mike Faist, and, of course, Cotillard herself.
Huppert was filling the role of Godmother at this year’s event, ready to bestow wisdom on the duo. “I do not with you success. Success is uncertain, capricious, and sometimes deceptive,” she said. “I wish you freedom. The freedom to choose, to refuse, and to explore. The freedom to be yourselves. The freedom to dream. And above all, the freedom to remain faithful to the mystery that brought you here.”
“That was horrifying,” laughed 25-year-old Los Angeles native A’zion, after a montage of her critically acclaimed work was presented to the room. “This is crazy and weird—I’ve never even been to Cannes before. There are so many actors that I admire who were part of the lineage for this award, so this is really cool,” she continued, reading her acceptance speech from a piece of crinkly paper pulled from her Dior suit pocket.
“Unlike Odessa, I rather enjoyed looking at myself up there,” Swindells joked. The Sex Education actor also emotionally thanked his late mother, Phoebe, who passed away before he got his big break. “This definitely wouldn’t have been possible, if not for her. She’s been an amazing spirit that’s been with me all this time.”
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