Simply Abu Dhabi XXXI

T o have a deeper perspective of the collection, I meet Bulgari’s creative director Lucia Silvestri to discover more about Wild Pop and the way she interprets this collection that, perhaps, goes far beyond sparkling gems. Simply AbuDhabi: You entitled this High Jewellery collection "Wild Pop", what is the link betweenWild and Pop? Lucia Silvestri: The inspiration came during a trip to NY when I had the opportunity to visit the Andy Warhol Foundation and its beautiful archives. It was a dive into the past, and with this collection I reinterpreted with some pieces the dialogue between us and AWwho left a mark in the history of Pop art. The wild side is our courage to be more and more audacious and was the first lesson I learned from the Bulgari family. Simply AbuDhabi: The entire collection has a very strong appeal—is this your answer to the #MeToo movement? Lucia Silvestri: Here we talk about creativity, innovation, quality, research, we talk about the history of the Brand, of its past and its future, every piece of our collections has a meaning which remains to the public or the final customer to know how to interpret. Simply AbuDhabi: What do you want women to feel while wearing those pieces? Lucia Silvestri: A jewel makes a woman more feminine, then it depends on how she wears it and for this reason I always say not to be afraid to wear a high-jewellery necklace with a pair of jeans or mix white gold with yellow or coloured stones in the Bulgari way. That’s why there is great research into innovation and our jewels must first be light and wearable. Simply AbuDhabi: As far as I understood, the whole collection is an ode to ‘women empowerment’, so what is now your ideal figure of women? Lucia Silvestri: A woman today must not be afraid of establishing herself, at work, in the family. A woman has immense power inside. I just think of the queens, princesses, heroines who made history, including today’s working girl. I was also inspired by 80s filmography, Wonder Woman, dynasty, Working Girl (the one with Melanie Griffith) which is one of my favourite movies. Simply AbuDhabi: What are the three characteristics that nowadays a woman should have in our society? Lucia Silvestri: They must always be aware of themselves, bold and at the same time, feminine. Bulgari’s Creative director Lucia Silvestri I n a sunny morning in June, in the rooms of villa Farnesina, one of the most prestigious villas in Rome, Bulgari presented his High Jewellery collection. The villa itself is a masterpiece and was the perfect setting to show the collection. Built by Renaissance architect Baldassarre Peruzzi for Sienese banker Agostino Chigi between 1506 and 1512, the villa was then bought in 1580 by Cardinal Alessandro Farnese, grandson of Pope Pius III, and was his personal residence. The villa then took the name of villa Farnesina and was owned by the Farnesi family, one of the most important and richest families in Rome during the Renaissance and the Baroque period. What is noteworthy about this villa is the fact that this was the first Renaissance villa in the city centre of Rome, just a few hundred metres from the Tevere river and the city centre. After this architectural beauty, everyone in Rome started to build their own villa, not palace, in the city centre. In fact, palaces do not have proper gardens but only a courtyard, while villas consist of a residential palace and a huge garden. For the event, all the rooms of the villa were transformed into whimsical pop chambers to display the high jewellery pieces created by Bulgari’s skilful high jewellery artisans under the creative guidance of Lucia Silvestri, Bulgari’s Artistic director, who oversees all the brand’s collections (from jewellery to high jewellery). There were the traditional displays, but also classical statues coloured in pop shades like gold, pink or orange and adorned with the Maison’s latest precious necklaces. The collection is huge with more than 200 pieces on display. Some are unique like the Wall necklace (which is accompanied by a bracelet and a pair of earrings as a parure) and made of pink gold with 60 carnelians, 3 round brilliant-cut diamonds (2.70ct) and pavé-set diamonds. Or the Play It Again necklace in white gold with onyx, 1 ruby, 3 rose-cut diamonds (6.64ct), rose-cut and baguette diamonds, baguette-cut rubies, and pavé diamonds which feature three discs and recreates the vinyl record player. Or the Precious Ruffles necklace in pink gold with 11 drop Zambia emeralds (65.74ct), buff-top amethysts (11.15ct), 128 buff-top emeralds (5.03ct), buff-top turquoises (6.86ct), step-cut diamonds (6.77ct), and pavé diamonds (9.86ct). There are dozens of similar examples in the collection. The Wild spirit and its Pop attitude are the keynotes for this collection. All the pieces have that 80s mood, combining the modernist art vision of Warhol with Lucia Silvestri’s modern and daring vision for jewellery. What Andy and Lucia have in common is their sense and love for colour, bright colours, and the fact that they can use and approach colours in the most modern and sophisticated way without being boring or dated. Both are contemporary artists, but not modern artists, because both are understood by the society they live in. And that is very important. After this presentation, Bulgari organized a major event at the Studio dei Marmi, a masterpiece of Italian rational architecture. The Stadio was built in 1928 as a place where all sportsmen in all disciplines excluding soccer could find a place where they could train and exercise. This stadium is made from marble from Carrara with classical ancient Roman statues and can accommodate up to 5,000 people. Against this backdrop, Bulgari presented the Wild Pop high jewellery collection to the press and a worldwide clientele eager to see and purchase Bulgari’s latest pieces with a fashion show, a private dinner and an exclusive concert by duran duran . 8 8 S I M P LY A B U DH A B I