Wonder Women
Bvlgari: Tribute to Femininity traces the lineage of the Italian house’s jewellery in parallel to the evolution of female empowerment. Karishma Tulsidas tours the exhibition in Moscow
Temininity. the word almost feels like a slur in today’s tense political climate and, for many, it represents a daintiness and delicateness that women do not want to be associated with anymore. So when Bvlgari decided to name its latest exhibition Tribute to Femininity, it was truly a powerful statement. Femininity, in the context of the Italian jeweller, represents the confidence with which women have been wearing their gender for the past century, as depicted in the evolution of Bvlgari’s jewels since its very beginnings in 1884. At its most basic form, jewellery is inherently a feminine accessory, so defining the core essence of the theme was of paramount importance to brand and heritage curator Lucia Boscaini. She says that the idea actually came from the museum team at the Kremlin, where the exhibition is being held. “While exploring the archives with them, they noticed this link, this common ingredient of how Bvlgari’s style and creativity evolved in a way that can be easily reconnected to the evolution of fashion trends and the lifestyles of women, and that was a starting point,” she explains. Astute museum-goers will be able to witness the tangible change in society through the evolution of the jeweller’s aesthetic—a journey recounted by the 500 pieces on display, including some very important jewels that belonged to powerful women in history such as actresses Elizabeth Taylor, Ingrid Bergman and Sophia Loren. It begins with the silver medallions that Bvlgari founder Sotirios Voulgaris created for Greek women in 1880. These functional pieces, which were part of their attire, reflected the traditional way of life at that time. The aesthetic evolved as Voulgaris moved to Rome and set up his business there. By the 1910s and 1920s, as women’s roles in society became more pronounced and they began to subvert common expectations, so did the jewellery forms. As clothes became simpler and allowed for greater freedom of movement, convertible jewels that could be worn in different ways became popular. At that time, jewellery was mainly worn by the upper crust of society. “Only very rich women wore jewels for elegant occasions. The jewels featured mostly diamonds and also coloured gemstones. The design came from combining various