Mary Katrantzou has revealed her debut collection for Bvlgari, as the house’s new Creative Director of Leather Goods and Accessories. For the collection, the designer was inspired by the eternal city of Rome, the Italian home of Bvlgari.
The new collection introduces a new pattern called “Calla” which is also the name of her debut collection.
Discussing the latest release, Katrantzou said: “One of the first things I wanted to create for Bvlgari was a pattern, an identity, the ‘Calla’. I was inspired by the intricate mosaics of the Terme di Caracalla, a fragment of Ancient Rome that formed the inspiration for the now iconic Bvlgari “Divas’ Dream” collection. That was the foundation for my first collection, a statement of intent. The motif, a sensuously curving fan, has a compelling femininity and universality, connecting with other cultures, and other meanings. It links with the ginkgo leaf and with the calla lily.”
Historic inspiration
The magnificent Terme di Caracalla, built in the third century AD, was heralded as one of the seven wonders of Rome in antiquity. Named after the Emperor under which they were constructed, they were centres for socializing, for cultural exchange and they formed the heart and soul of ancient Roman life. Across the floor of the baths, a distinct fan-shaped polychrome mosaic in marble tesserae in rich, jewel-like tones – pearl white and amethyst, emerald and gold – form an instantly identifiable pattern, first revealed after over four decades in 2015 and 2016, when Bvlgari’s patronage allowed significant restoration to these ancient works of art.
These historic environs already provide rich inspiration for the Maison. The mosaics are echoed in the feminine fan shape that inspired Bvlgari’s Divas’ Dream collection. That fan motif resonates across many cultures today. It mirrors the ginkgo leaf, symbolic of strength and resilience, and the sculptural shape of the calla lily. Calla is drawn from the Greek, for ‘magnificent beauty’, and today the lily is an emblem of purity and beauty, of union and rebirth.
Inspiring new designs
For her first Leather Goods and Accessories collection, Mary Katrantzou uses the ancient lines of the mosaics to inspire the ‘Calla’ motif. It is expressed through complex matelassé and pavé crystal treatments on the iconic ‘Serpenti Forever’ silhouettes, starting from the new ‘Serpenti Sugarloaf’ a padded-volume nappa shoulder bag which draws both its form and name from the exquisite and rare high-domed variant of Bvlgari’s signature cabochon cut. The intricate lines of the matelassé are precision engineered and crafted by specialist Bvlgari artisans in the Maison’s historic leather goods Atelier in Florence.
Introduced in Katrantzou’s debut is the Serpentine Duo handbag, a new tote with a trapèze shape that directly recalls the faceted cut of precious gems. Its forged metal handle, featuring a double Serpenti head on each side, is directly inspired by the Maison’s rich legacy. The sinuous form and finely engraved surface detail is realized by Bvlgari’s unique jewellery savoir-faire, translated to leather goods. It is evocative of a precious jewel in and of itself, an ancient amulet with the symbol of the two-headed serpent. The serpentine duo includes a leather version for daily use and an evening one covered with crystals, meticulously placed by hand to ensure perfection.
Also introduced is the ‘Ginkgo’ clutch, a representation of this pattern through the pure, singular form of one of its motifs. Suspended from a leather bracelet, it defines ‘Calla’ as an emblem by extracting it from the interlocked pattern it creates in repeat, to champion the device as a silhouette. Expertly executed in fine Nappa leather and moulded metal, it melds the artisan work of jewellery-making and leather craft in a single piece.
