Creative partnerships between high jewellery maisons and their peers in fashion have always been a rare occurrence.
And that is why Bvlgari collectors have come to look forward to the latest capsule of the Roman house’s ongoing collaborative bag collection “Serpenti Through the Eyes Of”, which has seen the likes of Nicholas Kirkwood, Alexander Wang, and just last year, Mary Katrantzou.
This time, the fashion house roped in to reinterpret the mythical Bulgari Serpenti icon is contemporary Parisian brand Casablanca. Just imagine what you’d get when Bvlgari’s spirit of mai troppo (“never too much” in Italian) meets the je nai sais quoi (“that special something” in French) of Casablanca. The result is fireworks: two sub-ranges with entirely different aesthetics that share a chic playfulness and modern glamour. In total, the capsule features seven creations across the Après Tennis Story and the Mosaic Story, both inspired by Casablanca’s leisurewear-meets-the Mediterranean DNA.
Casablanca’s French-Moroccan founder and creative director Charaf Tajer, explains his vision: “With Bvlgari we share the same love and respect for timeless codes and the ambition to interpret them in new ways: This is the prism we have played with on this collaboration. The collection is both modern and classic at the same time. The Serpenti has a thousand-year old iconography behind it and we wanted to bring it back once more but in a modern way, playing with its aesthetic features.”
The Après Tennis line references the sport’s classic look and graphic design elements, with a unique combination of white perforated leather, green accents, gold-plated hardware and unprecedented wood handles. The four bags from this sub-range exude a sense of ease and effortless elegance. The bag in the classic Serpenti Forever shape, flaunting the emblematic snakehead closure, comes with a detachable wood handle and removable crossbody leather strap for maximum versatility.
There is also a boxy sculptural bag called the Jewellery Box, which is inspired by a Bvlgari Heritage Collection silver box of the ’20s. This special edition showcases distinctive top conjuring the multiple facets of a precious gemstone. There is also a roomy and practical Tote Bag with a shoulder strap, and a nifty mini Crossbody Bag.
The second Mosaic line is deeply linked to Bvlgari’s identity steeped in Rome’s magnificent splendour. Inspired by the spellbinding mosaics that pave many of the Eternal City’s most fascinating villas and landmarks, the three bags look like veritable works of art. Fusing a contemporary neo-classicism with Casablanca’s trademark vacation feel, they showcase a vibrant textured print that convey the three-dimensional texture of ancient tiles.
Like their Après Tennis counterparts, the Mosaic Serpenti Forever Bag has a detachable wood handle and removable leather strap, while the Tote Bag and mini Crossbody Bag also come in the same shape and structure. The collection will be released in selected Bvlgari boutiques worldwide in two instalments: the Après Tennis on April 20, and the Mosaic on May 20.
Visit the Bvlgari website here.
All images are courtesy of Bvlgari