Bulgari Opens Jeweled Retrospective In Paris
On December 9, Nicola Bulgari, Chairman of the Bulgari Group, and Francesco Trapani, CEO of Bulgari, hosted a private cocktail celebration at the Grand Palais in Paris to celebrate the opening of its jewelry retrospective. It's the first exhibition in the 110-year-old hall that is entirely dedicated to jewelry. This is Bulgari's second retrospective exhibition ever and it runs through January 12, 2011.
Bulgari face Julianne Moore was in attendance at the event sporting a chic feather collar and some jeweled ear candy. Other guest in attendance included Juliette Binoche, Carole Bouquet, Lenny Kravitz, Clive Owen, and Carine Roitfeld.
The exhibition retraces the main chapters in Bulgari's history in chronological order from the opening of the first shop on Via Sistina in 1884 through the modern day. The exhibition takes over eight galleries featuring more than 600 jewels,watches and objets d'art, as well as photographs and films of artists, aristocrats and celebrities who have worn Bulgari over the years. The Grand Palais' glass dome features an immense diamond structure made of mirrors. One gallery includes jewels that were worn and owned by screen legends of the 1950s and 1960s: Anna Magnani, Claudia Cardinale, Gina Lollobrigida, Ingrid Bergman, Monica Vitti, and Sophia Loren, to name a few.
Another gallery displays jewels from Elizabeth Taylor's personal collection, including the Grand Duchess Vladimir's Suite, a diamond and emerald brooch/necklace with matching long emerald drop earrings, a ring and bracelet that boast over 150 carats of Colombian emeralds, given to her by Richard Burton.
Around half of the exhibition items on display belong to Bulgari's historical archives, others have been lent by private collectors from all around the world. Many of the pieces were not included in 2009's exhibition in Rome, and have never before been displayed in public such as three pieces that were loaned by the Grimaldi family, including one necklace that belonged to Princess Grace.
