PROFILES

The elegantly adorned founder of Bonanza Paris welcomes us into her top floor apartment located in a typical house in the Borriglione district. The sunny period space pairs well with her collection. “After spending ten years in Paris, studying marketing strategy, working as an image consultant and launching my jewellery line in 2018, I wanted to return to my roots in Nice, and to my loved ones,” says Chloé Bechini. “My main inspiration is still my grandmother’s jewellery box and the treasures it contains, because I like creating modern costume pieces that have a vintage feel (from 1960 to 1990) – flashy, big and shiny – and that look dressy and chic. Jewellery should be seen and not hidden. That’s my philosophy!”

Sensual jewellery
The designer is involved in every part of the process, from beginning to end. There may be multiple starting points, such as a film, an exhibition, architecture or nature. It all begins in her sketchbook, an inspiring mood board; the pieces are then handcrafted by skilled artisans in two family-run French workshops. “Some of this summer’s models were inspired by the sea urchin shells I saw on the beach in Antibes,” she laughs. “I also designed a capsule collection with cultured freshwater pearls. I create my own textures, like the “Byzantine” finish, create irregular reliefs and multiple intertwined chains, explore sensual forms and highlight gemstones such as quartz and citrine, and sometimes precious stones. There are no limits to my imagination! As for materials, I mainly use 24K gold-plated brass, silver and palladium.”

A brand for our times
Although Bonanza Paris enhances eternal femininity, the brand also produces a collection of unisex jewellery in line with gender-neutral styling that goes back to the 1920s and the avant-garde creations of Coco Chanel, followed by Yves Saint Laurent’s tuxedo for women and Jean-Paul Gaulthier’s skirts for men. Bonanza Paris is a visionary brand. The line of high fashion jewellery has gained followers in Paris, Nice and internationally, and already has numerous muses around the world. It also provides financial support to the Maison des Femmes, an organisation that helps women in difficulty and victims of violence.

bonanzaparis.com

Par Laurence Jacquet