Editor’s Note
This interview with Tiffany & Co. President and CEO Alexandre Ledru highlights the brand’s strategic focus on exclusive high jewellery and the Italian market. As the company inaugurates its largest European flagship in Milan, Ledru discusses the ‘Sea of Wonder’ collection and Italy’s position as a top-three European market, underscoring a commitment to bespoke client experiences and regional growth.
Interview
Ledru (Tiffany): ‘Unique gems and special events for our high jewellery’
A meeting in Milan with the president and CEO of the historic New York brand, who brings the ‘Sea of Wonder’ collection to his boutique: ‘Italy is growing and is among the top three European markets’.
by Marta Casadei
26 September 2025
The doors of Tiffany’s new flagship store on Via Monte Napoleone in Milan – the largest in Europe, opening in April 2025 – open and close continuously to let in customers of all nationalities. Croissants and cappuccinos are served in the in-house café, but the attention is all (inevitably) captured by the pieces of Blue Book 2025: Sea of Wonder, the latest collection of high jewellery signed by the American maison (from 2021 owned by the Lvmh group) whose latest chapter was presented precisely in Milan. Of the centrality of high jewellery in Tiffany’s strategy and the growing importance of Milan in the company’s business speaks Anthony Ledru, president and ceo of the brand.
The history of Tiffany in high jewellery is a long one, but recently you have started to focus a lot on this segment again, organising events all over the world. Why is that?
“I see it as a return to the roots, to the space where Tiffany was a leader in the 19th century (the brand was founded in New York in 1837). It took us two years after the acquisition, but we chose to look back to the past, to our heritage made up of the archives, to the time when Tiffany was a world leader in jewellery and, from there, we decided where to go and how to build our future, with a confident and positive mindset. We want to represent jewellery with exceptional creativity. And I would add: if you win in the fine jewellery segment, you also win as a brand in everyday business.”
Have customers shown more interest in this type of jewellery?
“It depends on the country. Some customers want investment pieces, and that’s fine, but our identity is about beauty, about creativity. We know that those at the top of the luxury customer pyramid, a few thousand customers worldwide, want exceptional things, starting with gems. And so we are focusing on unique gems, as Charles Tiffany did when he bought the famous yellow diamond.”
What is the weight of high jewellery in your business?
“The weight is substantial, although the customers are few in proportion. It is about 10% of our business. Beyond sales, however, what counts is the effect of fine jewellery: it benefits the brand.”
Why did you decide to present the latest chapter of the Blue Book 2025 in Milan?
“The city is one of the four fashion capitals, but it is also much more than that: it is a cultural destination that can compete with other big cities in Europe. I think customers need to ‘rediscover’ it. When we opened the shop in April, we had the ambition of making one of our most beautiful shops in the world. And I think that with this shop we have managed to connect the brand with the place where we are: we are at home, with our codes, but also in a place that is strongly connected to Milan. That is why we organised the event here.”
You opened five months ago: what is the first assessment of the shop?
“A great success, in line with what we had in mind in terms of customers, feedback, sales. People rediscovered – and many of them discovered – Tiffany, the history of the brand through the archives. I think a brand with an authentic history is better able to connect with its customers.”
How important is the Italian market for Tiffany?
“It is among the top three in Europe and in the top ten worldwide. And it is growing. Moreover, it is a magnet for tourism.”
Are you planning to invest in Italian shops?
“The next stop is Rome, in two years’ time. The current store will be moved to a different location, which we have already blocked. And it will be a very different shop from Milan, as Rome is also a city with a unique identity.”
