Hadid’s significant American following (23 per cent of her total audience according to HypeAuditor) could help Chopard boost its business in the United States, which is the most important jewellery market and where the Swiss brand opened a new flagship store on Fifth Avenue this year with a party attended by celebrities such as Uma Thurman, Katie Holmes and Olivia Palermo.
With a turnover estimated by Morgan Stanley at €464 million, Chopard ranks as the sixth-largest jewellery brand globally and is the only independently owned brand in the top ten, alongside Graff (€948 million in 2023) and just behind Bvlgari, which had a turnover of €3.5 billion (Chopard was founded in 1860 and in the 1960s was bought by the Scheufele family with Caroline and her brother Karl-Friedrich being the current co-presidents). However, Chopard’s influence in the industry extends beyond these figures, as it pioneered the use of fair-mined gold and, since last year, the use of recycled steel in watchmaking. With Cannes, Chopard was also the first brand to sponsor a film festival, a strategy now pursued by Cartier with the Venice Film Festival and Bvlgari’s Baftas.
Photo: Courtesy of Chopard
Yet Chopard’s choice of Bella Hadid shows that, much like Cartier and Bvlgari, it is time to update the ambassador portfolio to reflect a broader range of generations, cultures, and backgrounds rather than relying solely on the default choice of A-list Hollywood actors — Chopard has had a long partnership with Julia Roberts.
Following the recent selection of Aespa, the South Korean K-pop group comprising 20-somethings Karina, Giselle, Winter and Ningning, Hadid’s new role with Chopard points to the brand’s willingness to strengthen its appeal among Gen Z and future consumers. Hadid’s audience is predominantly female (67.4 per cent), with 23 per cent aged between 18 and 24 and an even larger segment (31 per cent) aged between 25 and 34.
Future-proofing the brand is front and centre of Chopard’s strategy. As Scheufele puts it, “Bella has the ability to connect with the global, youthful, and trendy audience we aspire to engage.” If Bella Hadid works her magic, expect #HappyDiamonds to trend.
