Coralie Charriol, whose father launched Charriol–a luxury Swiss watch company in 1983 that now has 70 stores world wide, went from becoming an integral part of her father’s business as the Creative Director to taking it over as the Executive Chairwoman when her father suddenly died last winter from a car racing accident. Suddenly, Coralie had to uproot her three kids and husband from New York to Geneva to settle into her new position. Despite her loss and the challenges of running a business during a pandemic, she is now artfully putting her stamp on the company–launching handbags, creating charity-benefiting designs, paying homage to her father and infusing the brand with her spirited energy. Lucky for me, she found some time to answer my Fall questionnaire.
What do you love and look forward to most about fall?
Fall feels like the real new year. Back-to-school/back-to-work flow brings a really dynamic energy, and I love seeing how my kids have grown at the end of the summer.
What are your newest fave fall purchases?
I love a good suit; fall is the season for proper tailoring. It’s always a good time to invest in a new bag, one special piece that will take you through the winter and into spring.
Something already in your closet you are pulling out for the cooler weather: A leather jacket from Isabel Marant or Anine Bing! There is a very short season for a leather jacket worn alone and it’s my favorite kind of weather.
Your favorite new pieces from your Fall collection and how you will personally wear them: Well, I’m very excited that after a short hiatus, we are back to offering handbags in our Fall collection. There are some very beautiful pieces and I love the colors and thoughtful design details. For watches, I am really in love with our newest collection called the Celtic Legacy, which is based on my dad’s original design from 1983. It comes in a variety of metals and designs for both men and women. It’s so timeless and special. For jewelry, I can’t live without my forever bangles that you can personalize using any name or word. Currently, I am wearing the words connect, balance, restart, vision and support.
Fave Fall food: Fondue! Perfect for a Swiss change in weather. Or pasta, any shape with white truffles!
Fave Fall drink: A Mezcal called Ilegal, it is so good!
Fave Fall smell: I like the spices and pies of the season, but there is also a crisp smell in the air that we catch walking around Geneva. It’s hard to describe but it’s very invigorating.
Fave Fall flower: The last of the Dahlias – especially the dramatic, darker colors.
Favorite weekend activity: Hiking or biking (electric bikes) Sometimes we are just home in Geneva, but we’ve been lucky to have a few weekends up in the mountains of Gstaad or Megeve. Whether in the city or in the country, getting outdoors and exercising keeps me sane!
Key elements for being cozy inside your home: A fire immediately sets the mood. Quoddy slippers and an oversized cashmere sweater from Alanui.
New skill you’ve recently acquired: Tik Tok dances with my daughter Anais and being CEO of my family brand after the unexpected passing on my father.
Current mood booster: Auer dark Chocolate 70% (I do live in the best country for chocolate) and essential oils (helps me get thru the day) and music!!!
Latest read: Dare to Lead by Brene Brown and Brave not Perfect by Reshma Saujani.
Current online rabbit hole: I’ve been doing more and more research on jewelry inspiration. It’s been a treat to visit our archives and find old pieces to reconsider. Also reliving my summer holidays since Switzerland just imposed a new confinement.
New Insta Discovery: I have loved Jordan Firstman, Katie Pruitt, Cleo Wade, and the The Met.
Favorite hour of the day: I am a morning person and love to get going early with delicious coffee and a croissant, we have the whole day ahead and so much can be done! Everyday is a fresh start.
Where you are donating your money and/or time: Lonely Whale!! I am so committed to doing my part to try to save our oceans. Their work has been thoughtful, effective and very impressive. I have designed a bangle called the Ocean forever and a percentage of the sales goes to Lonely Whale foundation. Since I became a surfer 6 years ago, I’m committed to helping environmental causes.
If you’ve had a chance to travel recently where did you go? If not, what will be your first trip? We very luckily snuck away to Italy before the new lockdowns and it was life changing. From Rome thru Tuscany to Florence. What a Roman holiday! The perfect fall light, empty streets and lots of very special time with the kids. I feel so lucky we were able to go especially because now it’s all confined again.
What are your hopes for the post-pandemic future: I think we all want life to go back to normal, but I also hope that we learn the lessons that we needed to learn during this global break. I’ve learned to take more breaks, to really discover what’s important, to not get lost in the rat race. It’s been a hard time and scary in many ways, but I think it’s a real opportunity for each of us to try to rebuild better lives for everyone.
Follow Coralie: Instagram.
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