Roman holiday

Pop goes Bulgari’s ’80s-inspired new collection

ANDY WARHOL ONCE SAID ‘calling at Bulgari’s shop is like visiting the best exhibition of contemporary art’. The admiration was not mutual. Nicola Bulgari, great-grandson of Sotirios Bulgari, who founded the company in 1884, refused to swap any of his wares for one of Warhol’s screen-prints when he was in charge of the Italian house’s New York outpost in the 1980s. ‘I was very suspicious when he came around. I was stupid,’ says Bulgari today, somewhat wistfully.

Well, the company is making up for his oversight now. Bulgari’s most recent high-jewellery collection, Wild Pop, is a sparkling homage to all things ’80s – and especially Warhol. The artist once shared his apartment with his mother and 25 cats, 24 of which were called Sam. So there are cat earrings and bracelets. There are also butterflies (another of his favourite creatures) and, of course, the jewellery comes in the rich, bright tones so beloved of both Warhol and Bulgari.

Other flights of fancy include ruffled diamond-and-sapphire chokers that Alexis Carrington would have definitely kept on in the bath, brooches, necklaces and diamond-encrusted sunglasses in the shape of microphones and musical notes ( just waiting for Elton John to get his hands on them). There is even a ‘happy leaves’ motif with the distinctive pointed shape of a marijuana plant executed in emeralds. ‘It’s just naughty fun,’ smiles Bulgari. ‘Everyone loves a bit of kitsch.’

All about Andy (clockwise from left): Warhol’s wise words light up a display of Bulgari’s Wild Pop collection, which features gem-encrusted cat, flower, butterfly and even marijuana-leaf motifs on necklaces, bracelets and earrings; a 1950s Warhol cat artwork graces a retro roomset; Lady Kitty Spencer; Bulgari CEO Jean-christophe Babin