Apple Watches have become a must-have accessory, but for Carlye Morgan, it became the ultimate inspiration for her brand, Chalonne, a line of luxury leather-based smartwatch bands designed in Bel Air and made in France.
Launched only four years ago, Chalonne was a finalist of the 2020 and 2022 Accessories Council’s Design Excellence Awards. Hollywood celebrities such as Kristen Bell, Jamie-Lynn Sigler, Deja Cruz and Nickelodeon’s Ben Giroux were spotted with their Chalonne watch bands.
Carlye has been noted as one of the most impressive entrepreneurs in the Apple Watch industry by Nasdaq and today, she is unveiling a few of her secret tips to lead a successful brand, from producing her Apple Watch bands in France to catering them to Hollywood’s A-List.
Wearable Luxury: The “Gold” Market
While shopping for the perfect stylish and comfortable Apple Watch band, Carlye Morgan had an idea: what if she launched the first ever luxury and sustainable Apple Watch band? “I did some research and couldn’t find any high-quality Apple Watch bands out there,” Morgan explained in a recent interview with Nasdaq. “I didn’t want to sacrifice my personal style to sport the latest tech, and I knew other fashion-forward women must have felt the same way.”
Fashion tech is the most promising market in the accessories business today. While most people became more tech-savvy during the pandemic, the trend seems to be increasing. Recent studies from organizations such as Precedence Research have shown that the wearable market will almost triple in the next decade, skyrocketing from $140 billion to $400 billion by 2030.
Chalonne’s luxury Apple Watch bands focus on that specific niche market. From precious stones to quality leathers, all the designs are handmade with love and care in Pelousey in France by Jean Rousseau, which also manufactures bands for some of the most well-known luxury watch brands including Omega and Vacheron Constantin.
With gold, premium leather, embroideries and bejeweled bands, Morgan focuses on the luxury market within the accessories niche, one of the fastest-growing industries in fashion. According to a report published by Bain & Co, the personal luxury goods market is forecasted to climb to around $570 to $615 billion by 2030.
A Female Entrepreneur Empowering Women
While the fashion industry might put female models on the forefront of billboards, the power ropes are usually pulled by men. This is something that Chalonne’s founder changed with the brand.
Chalonne’s mission is about being beautiful inside out. Combining exquisite accessories for your wrist and brightening your everyday life with simple luxury can be blended with a good cause.
“Since day one, Chalonne has donated four percent of the purchase price for every band sold online to the Breast Cancer Research Foundation,” confirms the website. Not only does Chalonne provide luxury to a practical gadget like an Apple Watch, but it also supports women and cultivates a strong community around Chalonne’s employees and clientele.
Nasdaq highlighted Morgan as one of the most inspiring female founders in her generation. “I believe that our company culture—based on giving back and empowering women—helps foster an environment in which our team can thrive. It’s a win-win for employees as well as customers to know that we have goals beyond the success of our immediate business,” she explained.
A Story Inspiring Hollywood’s A-List
With a solid foundation and strong storytelling, Chalonne has been under the spotlight thanks to many Hollywood celebrities. Actors Kirsten Bell, Jemie Lynn-Sigler, Ben Giroux and Deja Monique Cruz have been spotted in their watch bands. Chalonne has also been featured in Forbes, Hollywood Reporter, Elle, Harper’s Bazaar, Vogue, KTLA, WWD, Marie Claire and more.
The secret? Eye-catching designs with bright colors that reach a wide audience, from young entrepreneurs to established women executives. Some watch bands include solid 14k gold, unique gemstones and the finest quality leathers.
The inspiration behind each band stems from art historical notions, travels with colorful experiences and life in Bel Air. Inspired by the ocean and the elements, the colors vary from a Sienna Brown, to a luscious fuschia, liquid black to a festive red “Confetto” studded with 14k yellow gold and 14k white gold “confetto” bar studs.
“We offer a collection of bands made with rare hides, such as genuine Galuchat stingray, alligator and lizard, as well as premium calfskin leathers like Nappa. And of course, all Chalonne bands are lined with soft goatskin, in signature purple, which is super supple and comfortable,” added Morgan.
Being an ethical fashion designer, Chalonne works with manufacturing partner Jean Rousseau, who ensures that Chalonne bands comply with CITES and the U.S. Lacey Act, which regulates the international trade of flora and fauna species.
Living Like A Leader, One Step at a Time
Four years after launching Chalonne, Carlye Morgan reflected on her entrepreneurial journey, which is everything but restful. Finding a balance between her personal life and her professional life has been tricky, but thanks to her corporate background, Morgan has achieved success in forging a community of empowered women both behind-the-scenes and at the drawing board.
Coming up next, Chalonne is working on developing brand awareness, creating new designs and elevating new collections.
Chalonne has strong plans to settle in Asia as well, a very heavily influenced market for wearable luxury fashion goods. In this growing market, the brand seeks to invest and develop a strong presence in Asian markets to start selling abroad.
“We will release more watch band designs and continue to innovate and extend our product offering to other tech accessories,” Morgan concluded.
Chalonne truly embodies a success story worth keeping an eye on!
Shop Chalonne at https://chalonne.com/ and follow them on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/chalonne.la/ @chalonne.la
For more by Annabelle Kajbaf, follow her on Instagram @annabellekajbaf
