Bulgari
| Bulgari
|
|
|---|---|
 |
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| legal form | Società per azioni |
| founding | 1884 |
| Seat |
Rome , Italy
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| management |
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| Branch | Luxury goods |
| Website | www.bulgari.com |
Bulgari is an Italian company based in Rome, active worldwide in the luxury goods and hospitality sector . Bulgari is known for jewelry , watches , perfumes and leather goods .
The former family company , founded in 1884, is - after Cartier and Tiffany & Co. - the third largest jewelry manufacturer in the world (as of 2010) and has been owned by Moët Hennessy Louis Vuitton with 50.4% since 2011 .
Origin of name
According to the classic Latin alphabet, in which the V stands for U , the name of the brand is generally written BVLGARI . It comes from the family name of the company's founder Sotirios Voulgaris (1857–1932). The silversmith Sotirios Voulgaris (Greek: Σωτήριος Βούλγαρης, Greek pronunciation: [soˈtirjos ˈvulɣaris]) carried the name Sotirio Bulgari in Italy .
history
The origins: Sotirios Voulgaris
Sotirios Voulgaris was a goldsmith who came from the Greek Paramythia, a village in the Epirus region, where Voulgaris opened his first shop, which is still visible today. In 1877 he went to Corfu, later to Naples. In 1881 he came to Rome and opened several gold jewelry and antique shops, including one in 1884 in the Via Sistina district.
In 1905, the shop in Via Sistina was replaced by the current showcase store in Via Condotti 10, which is now a listed building. When it was founded, Sotirios Voulgaris was supported by his two sons Costantino (1889–1973) and Giorgio (1890–1966). During this time the shop was called "Old Curiosity Shop" and was aimed at customers from the United States and Great Britain.
It was only after 1910 that Voulgaris specialized in jewelry and was inspired by the Parisian and American schools for his creations.
In 1932 his sons took over the management of the company. Sotirios Voulgaris died in 1934. In the same year, his sons expanded the business in Via Condotti. The inauguration ceremony took place on April 9, 1934.
The 1950s and 1960s: la Dolce Vita
In the course of the founding of the Cinecitta Studios , the business in Rome enjoyed an increasing number of customers from the film scene: Elizabeth Taylor, Marlene Dietrich, Clark Gable, Gary Cooper, Audrey Hepburn, Sophia Loren, Romy Schneider and Gina Lollobrigida were among the customers.
The 1970s to 2000s: international expansion and diversification
In the 1970s, Bulgari opened its first stores in New York, Paris, Geneva and Monte Carlo. The company kept its showroom in the New York Hotel Pierre for several years.
In 1984, Paolo and Nicola Bulgari, Sotirio's grandchildren, were appointed President and Vice President of the company and Voulgari's nephew, Francesco Trapani, was appointed Managing Director. From the beginning of the 1990s, Trapani diversified the company by launching a Bulgari perfume range. Under Trapani's leadership, Bulgari established itself as a globally recognized luxury brand.
In early 2001, Bulgari formed a joint venture with the luxury division of Marriott International, which also manages the Ritz-Carlton Hotel LLC. The aim was to introduce the new luxury hotel brand Bulgari Hotels & Resorts . The first Bulgari hotel opened in Milan in 2004, a branch was opened in Bali in 2006, and another hotel in London followed in 2012. In 2011, the readers of Smart Travel Asia magazine voted the Bulgari Bali the second best hotel in Asia.
In 1995 the company went public on the Italian stock exchange. From 1997 to 2003 sales increased by 150%.
In the 2010s: Bulgari is bought by LVMH
On March 7, 2011, the LVMH Group announced that it had acquired 51% of Bulgari's capital and was planning a friendly takeover. On that day, the share on the Milan Stock Exchange rose by almost 60%. In September of the same year, LVMH shares finally rose 98.09%. In February 2012 the Bulgari family sold the LVMH shares for 236.7 million euros.
The former managing director of Bulgari switched to the group's "Watches and Jewelry" division, while the former managing director of Fendi, a company that emerged from the "Fashion and Leather Goods" division, took over the management of the Italian jewelry company.
LVMH ultimately held a total of 3.7 billion euros and supported the development of the brand: more was invested in advertising, central purchasing for all jewelry brands in the group was established and the intention was to launch the Italian brand on Place Vendôme by 2015 and there to replace the jewelry company Buccellati.
In 2012 Bulgari had 180 sales outlets worldwide.
Development of forms
The jewelry designed at the beginning of the 1920s and 1930s was in the tradition of Art Deco - simple shapes and geometric style, always combined with the use of platinum. The 1930s were characterized by more imposing creations with diamond patterns in various sizes and combinations with the precious stones sapphire, emerald and ruby. Some pieces of jewelry were "changeable" and could be worn as a necklace or bracelet. Brooches could be turned into pendants in the same way.
Because of the scarcity in World War II, the Bulgari House had to replace the diamond-studded platinum with gold and reduce the number of precious stones. The design became more delicate and was inspired by nature. With this, Bulgari moved away from the strict rules of the French school and created a unique style inspired by Greco-Roman classicism, the Italian Renaissance and the Roman goldsmith school of the 19th century.
During the economic boom in the post-war years, it was possible to return to creations in white metal with precious stones and especially diamonds. At the end of the 1950s, Bulgari preferred more delicate shapes to angular designs. Large cabochons were also often used, which became the company's trademark. The Bulgari style also includes the forms with structured, symmetrical and compactly arranged gold as well as the play of colors in the numerous gemstone combinations.
The creations of the 1970s stand out for their diversity. They are inspired by fireworks and oriental art. In particular, snake or pop art motifs were used, for example in the “Stars and Stripes” collection honored by Andy Warhol . At this time, yellow gold was the preferred material, and oval elements set with cabochons and set in gold and diamonds, like the mighty gold chain, became Bulgari's trademark.
The 1980s were characterized by volumes, lively colors, simple shapes and stylized ornamental motifs. Yellow gold was still used in the 1990s, but the Bulgari style became less structured.
Watches and bracelets
The Swiss subsidiary Bulgari Haute Horlogerie SA is responsible for the production of Bulgari watches. It was founded in 1980 and is based in Neuchâtel. Bulgari Haute Horlogerie SA employs almost 500 people. Bulgari develops its own calibers and parts, combining the most complex movements with classic calibers. The Bulgari watch collection includes the following product lines: Bulgari-Bulgari, Sotirio-Bulgari, Assioma, Astrale, Serpenti, B.Zero1, Daniel Roth, Rettangolo, Ergon, Diagono and Octo. In 2016, the company presented the Octo Finissimo collection at the SIHH trade fair, which focuses on particularly flat cases.
Stores
Bulgari relies on a distribution network with almost 300 stores located in the most famous trading centers. The largest Bulgari store in the world with 940 square meters of retail space including a restaurant and bar is located in Tokyo in the “Bulgari Ginza Towers”.
North America
The North American Bulgari stores and retailers are located in Atlanta, Beverly Hills, Bal Harbor, Boca Raton, Bethesda (Chevy Chase), Chicago, Costa Mesa, Dallas, Honolulu, Houston, New York, Las Vegas, Los Angeles, Mexico City, Montreal, Palm Beach, San Francisco, Short Hills, Waikiki and Scottsdale, Arizona.
South America
In South America, there are Bulgari stores and vendors in Lima, Bogotá, São Paulo, Margarita Island, and Quito.
donate
From 2009 to 2011 Bulgari donated 12 million euros to the Save The Children association. This partnership was extended at the end of 2011. So far, 334,101 children have been helped with these donations. 9,899 teachers were trained and rehabilitation measures were carried out in 206 schools.
Others
Bulgari designed equipment features on the XLR model (2004–2009) for General Motors and their luxury brand Cadillac : the Keyless Go remote control key and the dashboard with real wood applications made of eucalyptus wood (ebony for the XLR-V).
Web links
- Bulgari Global
- Bulgari Germany
- Bulgari Switzerland
- Bulgari Hotels & Resorts
- Reach for Bulgari and continue the hunt for Hermès , NZZ Online, accessed on March 7, 2011
Individual evidence
- ↑ Morgan Stanley Likes Tiffany , wsj.com, June 16, 2010
- ^ Bulgari stretches gold jewelry , welt.de, December 31, 2010
- ↑ bloomberg.com - LVMH to Acquire Bulgari After Agreeing to Buy Family Stake
- ↑ Bvlgari perfumes and colognes Fragrantica
- ↑ Bulgari L'argus des montres
- ^ Bulgari L'Italie par ses timbres
- ^ Françoise Michel: La saga scintillante du joaillier Italy Bvlgari s'expose à Rome. Archived from the original on April 23, 2013 ; accessed on December 15, 2016 .
- ↑ Les parures portées par les plus grandes stars s'exposent au Grand Palais Gala, Coraline Lussac, Vendredi 10 December 2010
- ↑ Bulgari Whatsoever Luxurious
- ↑ Biography: Bvlgari ( Memento of the original from July 2, 2013 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link has been inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. Couleur perfume
- ↑ Bulgari ( Memento of the original from March 16, 2012 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link was inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice.
- ↑ Bali Top Holiday Spot in Asia: Poll ( Memento of the original from September 29, 2012 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link was inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. The Jakarta Globe, September 2011
- ↑ Bulgari, un bijoutier aimé des stars Le Point.fr
- ↑ FAZ: Bulgari can no longer resist LVMH
- ↑ La "bulle" BVLGARI - 125 ans de magnificence italienne- au Grand Palais, Paris Le Figaro
- ↑ Bulgari L'italie par les timbres
- ↑ Bulgari au Grand Palais ( Memento of the original from April 5, 2013 on WebCite ) Info: The archive link was inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. Huffingtonpost.fr
- ^ Bulgari, un empire cinq étoiles Madame Figaro
- ↑ Exposition Bulgari. De l'éclat et du glamor Le Télégramme
- ^ Bulgari, histoire d'une famille grecque Tinou-évasion
- ^ Bulgari - In Aspiration for Prestigious Manufacture Status Watches Infoniac
- ↑ Written by Roger Ruegger: Bulgari's Fifth Thinness Record: The New Octo Finissimo GMT Chronograph. March 20, 2019, Retrieved November 5, 2019 (American English).
- ↑ Boutiques Bulgari Bulgari.com
- ^ Tokyo - Bulgari opens the Ginza Tower Europa Star
