T
he fashion industry is capricious; it looks towards the future
but is grounded in nostalgia. The result is a revival of iconic
designs that stay true to a brand’s heritage while emanating
ultra-modern vibes that engage a new generation. This season,
Bvlgari has reissued the original five-band ring from the house’s
B.Zero1 jewellery collection, which also marks the line’s twentieth
anniversary since its debut in 1999.
Lucia Silvestri, Creative Director of Bvlgari, says, “For me, with
every B.Zero1, the brand aims to create a new design which breaks
the rules of classic jewellery-making. The main inspiration for this
spiral ring shape comes from the renowned amphitheatre of the
world, the Roman Colosseum. Over the years it has been incarnated
in various forms, right from its debut with the first five-band rings in
yellow and white gold to the current iteration in rose gold.”
The house’s affinity for the avant-garde drove them to look
beyond the primary inspiration. Two bold collaborations with
British sculptor Anish Kapoor (in 2010) and Iraqi-British architect
Zaha Hadid (launched posthumously in 2017) made sure that the
B.Zero1 design didn’t find itself lost in oblivion. Silvestri explains,
“The success of this line has inspired Bvlgari to innovate more
with colours and materials. For instance, in 2010, we paid homage
to the house’s 1994 collection, Chandra, with white and black
ceramic rings. There was another creation in marble in 2012 that
was launched in three hues — green, lapis and tobacco brown — as
a tribute to Bvlgari’s Greek and Roman heritage. We played with
four bands and bronze ceramic set in pink gold to create B.Zero1
Roma, a special-edition line for the brand’s 130th anniversary in- Lastly, we cannot forget The Perfect Mistake in 2016 and the
last version, Labyrinth, in 2018, both of which featured different
shades of gold in one ring.”
The four latest designs are available in white gold, yellow gold,
white gold set with pavé diamonds, and rose gold. All the rings are
engraved with ‘XX Anniversary’ on their internal ferrule, making
them coveted collectors’ pieces.
-RUSHMIKA BANERJEE
Full
Circle
STYLE | SELECT