Bvlgari CEO Jean-Christophe Babin talks business in the post-COVID-19 era and the latest High Jewellery collection; “Barocko”.
At a time when many brands have remained quiet, Bvlgari has shifted its focus in recent months to supporting charitable causes, especially those linked to the research and eradication of COVID-19. Its recently announced Virus Free Fund is helping to support the development and research of a vaccine, while scholarship programmes funded by Bvlgari will allow young students to train as doctors.
But Bvlgari hasn’t forgotten its core DNA of incredible jewellery making and it returns with a beautiful high jewellery collection; “Barocko”. This special offering provides joy and colour at a time when the world needs it the most. To discover more on the roll-out of this collection in unusual times as well as a look at the business of Bvlgari moving forward, we talk to CEO Jean Christophe Babin.
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We begin with the recent news of the new Bvlgari hotel in Rome, congratulations on that and can you tell us more about it?
We have been very lucky that the mayor of Rome agreed to be part of the movie to promote this project because obviously, it is an endorsement that makes a difference. She understands how good it is for the city that companies like Bvlgari heavily invest in helping Rome retrieve its former glory. Much like the project Bvlgari did on restoring the Spanish Steps, but also in terms of hospitality. So when the hotel opens we will hopefully attract the clientele that has previously skipped Rome as a destination. It’s a very exciting project in the best possible location we could have dreamt of. It’s a 360-degree journey across 2,000 years of architecture. This will be unique for our clients and it will be by far the most luxurious hotel in Rome.
Barocko collection
After the global pandemic is over what is a message that you will take with you and will it affect the way you will do business moving forward?
I think we all thought that pandemics were memories of the early 20th century – the last one being the Spanish flu just after the World War I – and that we have the science so we were protected. Then this virus erupted and somehow two months later it shut down the whole planet. It has brought thousands of people into poverty and killed hundreds of thousands. I think it has been a lesson of humanity, learning that we are fragile and that we can still die from these kinds of things, even in the 20th century. It shows how important our eco-system is and how important it is not only as governments but as companies, to try to improve the system. This is something that Bvlgari has been doing, especially in relation to children. COVID has been an area where Bvlgari has tried to help a lot. We can only create a small drop in the ocean, but a lot of small drops will lead to a river.
We collaborated with The National Institute of Infectious Diseases, then we converted our perfume production facilities to create hand gels, and then eventually we decided to create the Bvlgari Virus Free Fund that is helping towards speeding up the vaccination development with Oxford University. We are trying to contribute to the eradication of the virus threat so we are now financing scholarships to put people through university. Brilliant students should not be prevented from getting a great education due to the lack of money, so these scholarships are meant to support bright students to complete their mission and vision. We are very happy about this, as it is a continuation of our partnership with Save the Children where we start with kids in kindergarten and this is the next step to that. Maybe one day one of our students will discover the vaccination.
Giving back to society is not something new for Bvlgari, with the Save the Children programme you have helped children all around the world.
Exactly. We have consistently tried to help. Even during COVID-19 when as a house we were making no money because our stores were shut down, the only money we were spending was towards fighting against COVID as well as paying our employees. We didn’t have any advertising or promotions.
Barocko Collection
Today we are celebrating the launch of the High Jewellery collection Barocko. With a collection such as this launching, how is Bvlgari staying close to the clients when you can’t physically meet them during this time?
It’s more or less as I am doing with you right now; via video call. We can be 5,000km apart but it’s like we are in the same room. We are leveraging digital technology as much as we can. To launch the collection, we have been presenting the pieces with augmented reality. All of our key clients have received a kit including a beautiful art book and an iPad Pro which features a special app so clients can discover the history of Barocko and what it means as a lifestyle.
Barocko collection
Through the app, our clients can discover the collection and experience three-dimensional pieces that they can pick up, try on, and take a picture of with different angles as if they were really in the showroom. And eventually, if they are convinced we will fly the piece to them to try on and have a chance to discover and buy it before anyone else. So with that initiative, I think we are breaking the codes of jewellery. We have brought digital concepts into the equation and we have tried to show how beautiful these pieces are in real life. This is something we will broaden and extend also to precious jewellery. We will launch the collection physically in Rome in September. Then according to the situation, we will decide how to show the collection while respecting safety guidelines and ensuring our clients feel totally relaxed.
The feedback we have had so far has been really interesting. In South Korea and China we launched the collection without a big party, but with intimate dinners, private showroom views etc. and the feedback has been great. Yes, our clients enjoy partying but they also like privacy and intimacy and so they didn’t dislike this format at all. It’s a new way of showing high jewellery but it seems to be very much appreciated by our clients.
Barocko collection
How do you think COVID-19 has accelerated solutions and ways of working?
COVID-19 has been an accelerator of many things. The technology was always there, but we weren’t using to its full potential because we were victims of our limits. Then a catastrophe like this happens and you have to find solutions and in this case technology has been a 360-degree solution. Our high jewellery is a great example of the ways we have applied augmented reality to the discovery of our pieces for the first time.
The situation has also allowed us to work in many ways without disruption. I have probably met more people than I have ever met in my entire career and I’ve been able to get much closer to others thanks to the flexibility of video calling. Likewise, I have been in direct contact with clients, which in normal times was difficult as it can usually only be done when I am visiting their countries. This time has also sped up a new way of working, with more smart-work at home and less shuttling to the office, offering a better-balanced life and making staff more efficient.
There has also been a very positive impact on the planet. We have seen for ourselves that during lockdown that the planet was clean for the first time in 30 or 40 years. So I think through this tragedy we have changed a lot of things for good that previously were inefficient, costly or time-wasting, as well as leading to a more efficient and sustainable society.
Our clients not only want beautiful craftsmanship and credibility from great craftsmen, but they also want to buy into good companies who are not striving for profits only, but are capable of being close to their communities during hard times and supporting and helping as much as their area of competency will allow them. It has been a moment of union from some of the best and most generous companies in the world who have come together to help the government to control the disease quicker. When I look at Italy, Switzerland and the UK, which are the three main countries where we have been extremely proactive, we have started to take rapid control of the situation that was initially out of control.
Barocko collection
In your opinion, what is the reason that the Bvlgari designs are so desired and why is it such a successful brand today?
The fact that Bvlgari is from Rome and has always been inspired by the city is a major asset for the brand. In terms of art, culture and architecture, Italy is the richest country in the world and this has created a city with huge diversity. Rome has a history dating back to 27 centuries and the underlying culture and values of the city are magnificent. Everything is larger than life. This is why Rome has not only the highest number of monuments of any city in the world but the largest as well. Everything in Rome, whenever the time of construction, is oversized. Roman life itself is oversized. And it’s authentic.
This has definitely influenced Bvlgari’s jewellery style of being larger than life. It’ bigger, bolder, more contrasted, unexpected, and I think the Barocko collection is a combination of this inspiration. It has the best balance of the aesthetic where you will find all the colours and curves that have made Barocko famous and then at the same time when you look at the construction of the piece you discover the precious metals and gemstones. Barocko for us is probably the most incredible collection we have ever made. It really comes from our heart – Barocko is Roma and Roma is Barocko.
This is one of the key parts of the success of Bvlgari because we had the chance to be born in this city and we have borrowed a lot of the style from Rome. We have something that is totally different and you can’t buy or copy this legitimacy. Our jewellery is joyful because of the colours. I admire diamonds, but it is never as emotional as the coloured high jewellery, which for me screams life. Especially in this post-COVID era – I think this collection will become even more of a success because it is a celebration of life. It offers the kind of harmony that people are looking for after a time of crisis. I think this will probably be the most extraordinary collection that Bvlgari has ever crafted.
Barocko collection
We remember the Jannah collection that was made in collaboration with Her Highness Sheikha Fatima bint Hazza bin Zayed Al Nahyan and it was a huge success – will we be seeing any more collaborations such as this moving forward?
We will be continuing with the Jannah collection – not only on the very high end but we are also developing more accessible five-petal jewellery pieces which will be available in the Middle East boutiques. What you saw in February in Abu Dhabi was just the beginning of a collaboration that will last for a long time.
Will we also be developing another collection with another royal family somewhere? We should! I think as a company we like to adopt the best talents on the planet, so if we had a chance to meet with someone from the region for example who has ideas, it would be very exciting and I think it makes the brand richer, broader and closer to the local market.
Barocko collection
What is in the pipeline for Bvlgari for the rest of the year?
On the jewellery front, there will be a lot of news on Serpenti. We have something that was planned for 2021 that we have decided to present in 2020 because we are so convinced by the strength of this new collection that we don’t want to miss the opportunity of Christmas and New Year.
We will also have a sequence of Barocko events – starting in Rome then moving to China, The United States and the Middle East.
In fragrance we have a major launch for men, coming out next month, which will be complementing one of our best sellers.
Then for the leather goods, we will have the introduction of the spring/ summer 2021 collection as well as a new capsule as a part of the “Serpenti through the Eyes of” Collection.
Then finally, we will announce the 11th and 12th Bvlgari Hotels as the deals for these are almost signed. This will see Bvlgari setting foot in America, which is very exciting.
Barocko collection
What is a message you would like to send to Bvlgari’s fans in the Middle East?
Firstly, thank you for your incredible support throughout the COVID situation because as long as the stores were open, customers kept coming and buying our products and they allowed us to keep the market share. I’m very thankful that during the peak of the pandemic our clients in the Middle East gave us a lot of time to chat and exchange on a non-commercial base as friends, and that allowed us to strengthen the connection we have with them. And last but not least, as the stores reopen, we are very close to what we used to be in terms of sales. So I really thank all our Middle Eastern clients for their trust and support and it has allowed us to keep very high spirits. We are getting back to work now and I pay tribute to all of our team in the Middle East who are proud to be part of Bvlgari and that is thanks to our clients.
Barocko collection
If you were granted three wishes what would you wish for?
Firstly, I would wish to immediately eradicate COVID-19 forever. I think viruses have killed too many people and this must stop. The second thing would be to provide education to all kids around the world because I believe that education is the lifesaver of the planet. And the last wish would be to establish long-lasting peace across the planet. We need to live in harmony, we need respect, and we need to integrate diversity more than ever. We need to put an end to wars because ultimately we are all striving for the same values centred on friendship, family, authenticity, enjoying life.
