I remember the day when the Bulgari celebrated the two decades since the creation of the B. Zero I, a design inspired by the Coliseum, an absolute symbol of Roman antiquity. The jewelry store, which was founded in Rome by a Greek, often rescues the history and beauty of the Italian city through the design and architecture of its collections.
As an experience, in 2019, the brand took me to visit the Flavian Amphitheater and connect with the atmosphere of the place. Like other sights in the Italian capital, it is impressive how much the construction of the monument can be represented in such a special way in a jewel.
The Baths of Caracalla, a space for baths built during the reign of emperors Septimius Severus and Caracalla, is another area of the city that served as inspiration for one of the biggest icons of the brand, Divas’ Dream. The fan shape of the pendants, which is present in earrings, necklaces, bracelets and rings, originates from the floors of the ruins, which even underwent restoration financed by Bulgari between 2015 and 2016.
The Octo watch, which had its first sketches in 2004, is inspired by the arches of the Basilica of Maxentius in the Roman Forum and creates a kind of connection between antiquity and modernity in terms of concept and construction for watchmaking.
The whole introduction I made, showing the connection between Bulgari and the architecture of its hometown, only reinforces how much the universe of its jewelry and watchmaking are in constant harmony and the Roman beauties are constantly translated into precious collections. Each year there are new interpretations, combinations and ways to show how limitless there are to exploring your icons. And carrying a piece rich in terms of history is what makes the difference – after all, every time I show my B. Zero I, maybe the big highlight is asking: “What does this ring shape remind you of?”.
This subject was the theme (and connection) of the guided tour that the brand offered during the opening of the edition of Casa Color in Goiania, with the presentation made by curator Wanessa Cruz, for her main local clients. Although the brand values its history and its Roman base, its DNA is global and there are ways to value what is special in each territory where the brand is present.
Among the visual artists from Goiás are Siron Franco, Pitágoras, Marcelo Solá, Sandro Tôrres, Ebert Calaça, Fabiana Queiroga, Eloísa Lobo, Fabiana Queiroga, Selma Parreira and Evandro Soares, who are repeated in various environments also developed by architects and designers from the region – with a variation of ideas that explores, and very well, the use of the external areas of the state.
After all, as Wanessa Cruz mentioned, the climate of Goiás helps in the way that its population can live well away from home – and with a lot of use of natural light. The experience itself was very special, highlighting architectural and decor concepts in spaces that celebrate creative professionals and their contemporary ideas that respect culture and regional adaptations.
At the end of the guided tour, which went through all the interpretations of style, from the most conceptual to the commercial ones, of interest to its public, there was a feeling of the importance of valuing connections between the most different creative areas. The basis of the design of a series of products, whether fashion or jewelry, has a great chance of carrying stories for us to discover and be told.
In the case of jewelry, it is even more special because it carries the concept of inheritance, of passing the piece on to future generations and continuing to share, be it Bulgari’s history or your own. Because, born in a city nicknamed “Eterna”, the brand’s jewels are too.