In the cityscape of Shanghai, along the Huangpu River's banks, CHARLENE sparkles in grandeur. With the banner waving in the breeze, a large screen commanding attention, and guests from various corners of the globe congregating at the shipyard, CHARLENE's grand opening ceremony is a sight to behold. The brand's flagship store in Shanghai officially opened its doors on November 16, 2019.
▲CHARLENE’s Shanghai Boutique
CHARLENE holds the distinction of being the inaugural Oriental high jewellery brand invited to conceive theme-oriented jewellery for the Forbidden City and exhibit its creations within its precincts. Its bespoke Forbidden City collections, crafted for the illustrious landmark, bagged the Milan Design Week Award in 2018, earning the brand the status of the first Chinese recipient of this honor. The choice of an age-old shipyard for CHARLENE's store signals the brand's evolution from an exclusive high-end jewellery label to a publicly accessible one. The goal to expose a broader audience to "Oriental Aesthetics in 1cm²" and propagate Chinese culture globally via its jewellery.
▲The Imperial Palace themed collections was honored with the prestigious Milano Design Week Special Award in 2018
The grand inauguration saw over 150 friends of CHARLENE, hailing from diverse countries such as the United States, India, Israel, and Thailand, convene at the Shipyard 1862. They gathered to revel in the aesthetic allure of the CHARLENE brand and the distinctive architectural beauty of the shipyard.
Michael Gad, recognized as the "Emerald King" in the industry, journeyed from New York with his wife to extend his congratulations. Mr. Gad, who controls over 30% of top-notch Colombian emerald resources and significantly influences Colombian emerald market pricing, supplies emeralds to top-tier brands and prominent auction houses like Sotheby's and Christie's worldwide. He also finds mention in several professional emerald literature.
▲Michael Gad delivering his speech at the inauguration ceremony
Another esteemed guest was Professor Qixiang Sun from Peking University, who had guided Charlene, the founder of CHARLENE, during her university years. Professor Sun, the first woman in a century to serve as the dean of Peking University's School of Economics and the initial female recipient of the prestigious "John Bickley Award" in the global insurance industry, ranks among the top ten most beloved teachers at Peking University. Professor Sun, who has witnessed Charlene's metamorphosis from a naive girl to an accomplished professional, has consistently encouraged Charlene to pursue her aspiration of turning CHARLENE into a foremost brand of Oriental high jewellery.
▲Professor Qixiang Sun from Peking University offering her speech at the inauguration ceremony
Prominent personalities such as Guobin Wang, the founding partner of Junhe Capital, the former chairman of Dongfang Asset Management, and Mr. Yang Wang, general manager of Shanghai Shuanghui Binjiang Commercial Management Co., Ltd. (manager of Shipyard 1862), were also in attendance. Alongside Charlene, Professor Qixiang Sun，and Michael Gad, they participated in the ribbon-cutting ceremony marking the launch of the CHARLENE Shanghai flagship location.
Guobin Wang, a respected figure in the investment sector, is widely recognized as one of China's premier institutional investment leaders by American financial publications. As one of the most successful value investors in A-shares, he also serves as an angel investor for CHARLENE.
▲Michael Gad (first from left), Charlene (second from left), Professor Qixiang Sun (third from left), Guobin Wang (second from right), and Yang Wang (first from right) jointly inaugurating the CHARLENE’s Shanghai flagship store with a ribbon-cutting ceremony.
Concurrently, an art exhibition celebrating the opening of CHARLENE's flagship store in Shanghai was unveiled at the Shipyard 1862. The exhibition is set to run until November 30. Charlene, the founder of CHARLENE, expressed her hope that the exhibition would reveal the "contemporary traditionality" of Oriental jewellery aesthetics to a wider audience.
