“Let Them Wear Their Jewellery!”

The CEO of French maison Fred on its unique brand of joaillerie de vivre.

- KOH YUEN LIN

There is unconventional wisdom in Charles Leung’s strategies. When minds and headlines were crowded with dread during a terrifyingly unfamiliar pandemic, the CEO of Parisian jewellery maison Fred pushed forth with the launch of the audaciously upbeat Colour Crush bracelet buckle in April 2020. Never mind that garden-party ensembles had been replaced by drab lockdown garb—each rainbow-hued piece, encrusted with rubies, spessartite garnets, yellow sapphires, tsavorites, aquamarines, blue sapphires and amethysts, loudly sang a tune different from the sentiments of the times.

Two months later in June, amid widespread gloom, Leung splashed out on a summer campaign. Around Paris and on social media, evocative pictures reminded one of the joys of living; images that brought to mind picnics under the sun, a languid day by the pool, or a frolic in the gardens. “There was fear of going back to lockdown again, and few brands were advertising during that time. Everywhere, marketing budgets were cut and product launches were postponed. Yet, here we were, doing just the opposite,” recalls Leung.