“MY PASSION IS FOR THE STONES”
Roman creativity and the disruptive spirit of the 1980s collide in a dazzling jewellery collection. Wild Pop is the quintessence of Bvlgari’s rule-breaking approach,
Wild Pop, the Bvlgari 2018 High End jewellery collection, brings together two visions and draws inspiration from Andy Warhol. The links between the late American artist and the Roman jewellery company are still very much alive today, as Lucia Silvestri, the brand’s Creative Director, explained in an interview with Prestige. Excerpts:
Where did the idea for Wild Pop come from?
From a visit to the Andy Warhol Foundation for the Visual Arts in New York City. It was a great surprise to see in their archives some sketches of him drawing jewellery and we wanted to continue this link between him and us. We can say that AW is part of our history. Two years ago, I created a beautiful High Jewellery flower necklace with two colourful flowers that reminds me of AW’s paintings. It’s daring, feminine and unconventional - 100 percent Bvlgari.
What made you want to bring back the extravagance of the 1980s?
It was easy because the eighties were years that marked my life - the music, the cinema and those disruptive aesthetic canons. I breathed the creativity and the rebellious spirit of those years in which Bvlgari grew on the international market thanks to its bold creativity.
What are some of the key pieces of the collection and how do they represent the spirit of Bvlgari?
For me, all the jewels are key pieces, and each one represents a different story without forgetting that each collection still has an interpretation of our heritage in a contemporary way, respecting the new theme. We have represented the icons of the 1980s, from fashion to music to cinema and, of course, art.
What’s your favourite piece from the collection?
The Flamingo necklace, for its creativity and craftsmanship.
Most Bvlgari collections are elegant and classy. But with Wild Pop you have created something bold, edgy, colourful.
The first thing Nicola and Paolo Bulgari taught me was to be daring - to know how to dare - and that’s what I always try to do. Certainly, with the High Jewellery we try to look younger with a more contemporary design - more versatile, I would say.
You met the Bulgari brothers when you were young. How does it feel like to be a creative partner of such a family?
The brothers are my mentors. We have collaborated for a long time, and we have always had a connection. I was very lucky to have them as teachers, but I worked very hard to earn their trust – and, believe me, it was not easy also because I was young at the beginning and my period of apprenticeship was very demanding. I knew I had to win their trust, and I did not want to disappoint their expectations
What is the most important lesson you have learned from them?
One of the reasons why the Bulgari brothers have invested in me is because they understood that I had an intuition for coloured stones and their combinations, and in fact one of the first lessons was not to be afraid to dare to risk - and I think I’ve also shown this with Wild Pop.
How do you set about creating a new collection?
First of all, when I go to our suppliers and they show me their stones, I already have in mind what I can do. Then there’s our heritage to consider. Rome is my first muse. Next comes my continuous travels – India, for sure. I was in Moscow at the beginning of October for our Kremlin Tribute to Femininity retrospective, and I got a thousand inspirations running around Red Square.
What draws you to gemstones?
The stones are my greatest passion - something that I feel in my heart and in my soul. I would spend whole days watching them, talking to them. I feel extremely privileged, because my job is not just a job for me, it is my ultimate passion, and my passion is for the stones. For example, I arrange my vacations in places where I know I can find rare and unique stones. In this way, I have an opportunity to get in direct contact with them, which for me is a pure source of energy.