Bulgari: the story of an Italian luxury brand

If you think of Italian luxury, probably one of the first names that comes to mind is Bulgari. This famous jewelry and watchmaking maison was founded in Rome in 1884 and since then has conquered the world with its refined and original creations, which celebrate the splendor of ancient Rome and Italian creativity.

But how did the story of Bulgari begin? And what are the distinctive features of its style? Let’s find out together in this article, which will tell you the story of Bulgari and make you discover its exclusive services and customer testimonials.

The origins of Bulgari

The founder of Bulgari was Sotirio Bulgari, a Greek silversmith of Aromanian origin. Sotirio was born in 1857 in a small village in Epirus, Kalarites, where his family produced silver objects. In 1881 he decided to emigrate to Italy, looking for new opportunities. After staying in Naples, he moved to Rome in 1894 and opened his first jewelry store in Via Sistina, together with his partner Demetrio Kremos. The following year he moved to Via Condotti 28, where the flagship store of the maison is still located today.

Sotirio was inspired by Parisian jewelers and made objects in platinum, emeralds and diamonds, often transformable. For example, some necklaces could become two bracelets or brooches, and some pendants could be attached to rigid bracelets. Sotirio had numerous children, but two in particular followed in his footsteps: Giorgio and Costantino, who assisted him in managing the brand.

The Italian style of Bulgari

From the 1940s onwards, Bulgari’s style began to differ from the French one and to express a distinctly Italian personality. The brothers Giorgio and Costantino introduced new elements such as yellow gold, which recalled the solar shimmer of Rome, and the sinuous spirals of the Serpenti creations, inspired by the symbolism of antiquity. In addition, they experimented with lively combinations of colors, volumes with refined balance and unmistakable motifs such as the BVLGARI logo written with the Latin V.

The 1950s and 1960s were the golden age for Bulgari, which became the point of reference for international movie stars. Among the most famous customers were Audrey Hepburn, Elizabeth Taylor, Richard Burton, Sophia Loren and Ingrid Bergman. These actors and actresses often wore Bulgari jewels both on set and in private life, contributing to spreading the fame of the brand in the world.

In the 1970s and 1980s Bulgari continued to innovate its style by introducing new geometric shapes such as Tubogas and Parentesi, and new collections dedicated to watches such as Bulgari-Bulgari and B.Zero1. Moreover, it expanded its offer with perfumery and leather goods products.

Bulgari today

Today Bulgari is one of the most prestigious luxury maisons in the world, part of the French group LVMH since 2012. The brand has over 300 stores worldwide and is headquartered in Rome in Piazza Nicosia 20. Its creative director is Lucia Silvestri, who coordinates a team of designers and craftsmen who create the splendid creations of the maison.

Bulgari does not limit itself to jewelry and watchmaking, but also offers perfumery, leather goods, accessories and hotel services products. In fact, since 2001 Bulgari has launched a line of luxury hotels and resorts in collaboration with Marriott International group. Currently there are six Bulgari hotels in the world: Milan (2004), Bali (2006), London (2012), Beijing (2017), Dubai (2017) and Shanghai (2018). Other hotels are planned in Paris (2021), Moscow (2022), Tokyo (2022) and Rome (2022).

Bulgari is also committed to social and cultural issues. Since 2009 it supports Save the Children project for the defense of the rights of the most vulnerable children in the world. Moreover, since 2016 it finances the restoration of the stairs of Trinità dei Monti in Rome and organizes exhibitions and events to enhance the artistic heritage of the city.

Conclusions

Bulgari is an Italian success story that has been able to combine tradition and innovation, classicism and modernity, elegance and originality. The brand represents the spirit of Rome in the world with its unique and recognizable creations. Bulgari is synonymous with excellence and Italian creativity in the luxury sector.