SUZANNE BELPERRON

A personality, a character… An iconic figure in the world of modern jewellery. Having won first prize at the École des Beaux-Arts in Besançon in 1918, Suzanne Belperron began her brilliant career in 1919 alongside Jeanne Boivin, who hired her as a designer and model-maker. In March 1932, tired of seeing her image reflected in the mirror of the late René Boivin, Madame Belperron—who had been co-director of the House for nearly ten years—resigned, leaving behind an indelible mark. Bernard Herz, a leading dealer in fine pearls and precious stones, who had offered her the chance to take the reins of his company, would allow her to flourish in complete freedom. Suzanne Belperron would henceforth rank among the most fashionable designers of the Roaring Twenties. Her designs revolutionised the world of jewellery; her materials, volumes and creations sometimes bordered on the extravagant, both artistically and sculpturally. Even if the jewellery is at times somewhat exuberant, it remains nonetheless elegant. Her creativity never oversteps the bounds of good taste: therein lies the key to the Belperron mystery. Suzanne Belperron’s work is unique. It takes the form of jewellery that is certainly graphic and pure, but above all sensual, not to say carnal. A prestigious clientele sought her out, as evidenced by her order books, which list royal families, aristocrats, bankers and film stars... All over the world, people marvel at the jewellery sets designed for the Duchess of Windsor, the Begum Aga Khan, the Maharani of Baroda, the Baroness de Rothschild, Elsa Schiaparelli, Nina Ricci, Daisy Fellowes, Ganna Walska and Merle Oberon... Unlike most great jewellers, Suzanne Belperron never signed her jewellery. A woman of strong character, the artist’s sole motto was ‘my style is my signature’. Indeed, her work continues to inspire many of them to this day. Olivier Baroin