Dorset's Hidden Gem

Annabelle Chisholm

It’s a quiet Monday afternoon and I’m sat in a small white room, surrounded by the largest array of jewels I’ve ever seen. I’m chatting to Annabelle Chisholm, a lively 30 year old from Poole and proprietor of the prestigious jewellery boutique Beau Bijou in Westbourne. Annabelle’s neat dark hair and elegant appearance reflects both the pride she has in herself and her store.

Annabelle, along with her mother Joy Marsh, is a long time collector of vintage costume jewellery. From the age of sixteen she and her mother used to travel and collect different pieces of vintage jewellery as well as other antiques until the obsession proved to cause difficulties.

“We were falling over it. We didn’t know what to do with it all! We absolutely love vintage costume jewellery. I’m all about big, statement, individual, vintage pieces”

It was at this point that the pair decided to invest in their hobby and share their collection with the people of Dorset in 2005. Annabelle smiles as she reminisces

Three years later, through good trade and increased business she was able to move the business to Westbourne. The quaint, fashionable town is beset with similar boutiques selling all kinds of goods.

The shop maintained its regular customers. The store is now situated in the heart of Westbourne and has a loyal list of clientele. Many customers regularly travel from London to shop at Beau Bijou. However some customers request services from further afield - as far as Switzerland and New York.

“The most important thing is customer service. Our customers want to see something different. Nothing I sell is mass produced.”

Beau Bijou carries a beautiful range of jewellery.

One customer approached Annabelle requesting a very specific piece of jewellery for her wedding. After searching the country to find such a piece, Annabelle instead decided to give making it herself. She smiles with pride “I knew she wanted it for her wedding. What she forgot to tell me was that she was getting married in St. Paul’s Cathedral!” She adds thoughtfully “It was incredibly bizarre.”

Annabelle learnt to string pearls when making her own jewellery. Upon learning this, The Dorchester Hotel, London, asked Annabelle to string a chandelier made from 69,000 fresh water pearls. The creation took her five weeks to produce and can now be seen in the hotel’s spa. She did all of this while planning her own wedding. She laughs “The wedding was good. Those five weeks were a bit manic though!”

Annabelle has recently split from her husband and they remain on good terms. On the subject of children, she smiles and shakes her head  

“I don’t want kids. This business is my baby!”

Annabelle grew up in Poole and currently lives with her mum and dad. She shows a mischievous grin as she recalls her time spent at her senior school, Henry Harbin (now known as Poole High School). “I guess I was a bit of a class clown and had a little too much to say for myself. The teachers were mostly split, they either loved me or they hated me! I loved school though.”

Like most sixteen year olds finishing school, Annabelle had no idea what she wanted to do. “I went to sixth-form instead of getting a job to be honest!” “After a work placement I ended up dropping out to work full time anyway, I enjoyed what I did at the time and found myself soon entrusted with all sorts of responsibilities.” From then on she progressed to higher positions until she opted for redundancy in 2005. “I didn’t want to be there any more, I felt it was time to do something new”

Annabelle hopes that she will one day be able to expand Beau Bijou further. She is planning to move in with her sister after they embark on opening a second boutique in Westbourne together, selling wedding dresses. Though working with family is something many would be wary of, Annabelle explains cheerfully. “I’m from a very close family, it is sort of ‘out of the frying pan and into the fire’ but I’m looking forward to what’s to come!”

The chandelier now hangs in the Dorchester Hotel spa in London