For more than a century Bulgari has been the company that knows how to jump onto a trend. For a fashion house with the kind of sophisticated, cutting edge and savvy reputation such as theirs to reach into the mass market in such a creative way speaks to the kind of fashion forward thinking that has kept this family business on top for over a century.
When Sotirio Bulgari decided to emigrate to Italy from his native Greece, he could not have imagined that almost 130 years later, his descendents would continue to manage the company he created. Yet that is the case with this Italian based company.
The story of the company is worthy of a Hollywood movie all by itself. While Bulgari is regularly seen on the red carpets of Hollywood and Cannes, one does have to be curious as to why no one has thought to bring this company's story to the big screen.
The founder of the company came from a small town in Greece where he acquired the skill of silversmthing. He created small items from silver and sold them from a cart on the streets of Italy.
Eventually a shop owner gave Mr Bulgari some window space and that's when things really started to move ahead for the Greek silversmith. By 1905, he was able to move into his very own location at Via Condotti, which now, more than one hundred years later, remains the flagship location. Astonishing.
To the right is a photo of the astonishing Sophia Loren in a photo from the 60s wearing her Bulgari earrings and necklace. They don't take great photographs like this anymore!
Today the Bulgari company trades its stock on the exchanges of both London and Milan. The late 1990s saw the family surge ahead with brilliant products expanding their line from jewelry.
What a dream! To create a business that does more than just transcend and survive across the generations, but becomes a household name in the luxury market, trades on key stock exchanges and is respected by the world's powerful and elite society. Sotirio did OK.
To the left, Keira Knightly wears a vintage Bulgari necklace to the Oscars. That is a very very coveted "get". What an absolutely stunning piece of jewelry. Did Keira choose Bulgari or did Bulgari choose Keira? It would be interesting to know the real story of who picks who for these big Hollywood and European parties.
And brilliant moves they seem to be: high end silk scarves, watches, leather goods and sunglasses. And even more fantastically: resort properties.
In the early years of the 21st Century, the company has partnered with hotel property management interests and opened Bulgari resorts in Bali and Milan. |
