New Perspectives

Cartier CEO Cyrille Vigneron reflects on the continuing evolution of the Cartier Women’s Initiative Awards and the new Asian luxury customer, writes Hong Xinyi

- Hong Xinyi

 GENDER EQUALITY has dominated the cultural conversation in recent months, with many industries newly alert to the power of diverse points of view. French luxury house Cartier, however, got woke a long time ago. Back in 2006, it launched the Cartier Women’s Initiative Awards (CWIA) to identify and support women entrepreneurs who aim to make a strong social impact.

The annual initiative is an explicit recognition of the importance of women to the brand—they make up to 85 per cent of Cartier’s clientele, 62 per cent of its workforce and 55 per cent of its managers. “With the CWIA, we receive as much as what we give,” says Cartier CEO Cyrille Vigneron. “Giving these women entrepreneurs a platform and a way to share with one another is, for us, a fantastic window into the world today. If you want to know how the world is evolving, you have to see it through everyone’s eyes.”