Budapest Post

Cum Deo pro Patria et Libertate
Budapest, Europe and world news

Serpenti Charmer-Mary Katrantzou Turns Her Imagination to Bulgari’s Most Famous Icon

Serpenti Charmer-Mary Katrantzou Turns Her Imagination to Bulgari’s Most Famous Icon

Mary Katrantzou has collaborated with the Roman jewelry house Bulgari on a collection of handbags that riffs on the brand's Serpenti icon.

Mary Katrantzou’s romance with Bulgari began with a bang. The Italian jewelry company loaned its high jewelry for the fashion show the Greek-born, London-based designer staged at Athens’s Temple of Poseidon in October of 2019. The ancient monument, the couture gowns, the Aegean Sea spread out below-it was a spectacular occasion purpose-built to give back. The ticketed event raised funds for the Elpida Association, a children’s cancer charity.

It was no one night stand, either. Together Bulgari and Katrantzou have created a new group of handbags inspired by the jeweler’s most famous icon: the Serpenti. “We felt there was a strong synergy and mutual appreciation, so when they invited me to collaborate on accessories it felt like a natural continuation,” Katrantzou says. What’s remarkable is just how tactile the pieces are considering that all the development took place under COVID lockdowns-i.e. entirely remotely between Bulgari’s Roman headquarters and Katrantzou’s temporary home base in Athens.

Katrantzou’s affection for bijoux has been obvious since her earliest days on the London runways. For her fall 2010 collection she collaged photographic images of all manner of gems. Her spring 2014 evening numbers were dripping in Maison Lesage embroidery, and her fall 2018 showstopper was a richly jeweled Renaissance portrait jacket. As she began work on this collaboration, “the first important thing was to understand what Serpenti meant to me,” Katrantzou says. “It’s a symbol that dates back to ancient Greek and Roman mythology, but its strongest symbolism to me is its power to transform-the way it sheds its skin to allow for growth. These ideas of evolution, rebirth, transformation-especially in the times we are in-felt very relevant. I wanted to look at Serpenti and see how we can amplify it as a symbol.”



Those investigations helped produce the new collection’s hero piece: a Serpenti head minaudière with crystals for eyes, a forked tongue clasp, and each individual scale hand-painted in enamel. It’s more jewel than handbag. Katrantzou fancies displaying hers on a side table or mantle, a treasured objet. The collection also includes nappa leather handbags with S-shaped Serpenti handles and another style featuring an embroidered mosaic that combines a coiling snake with a kaleidoscope of butterflies requiring 40 hours of hand work-metamorphosis in action.

Modeling it all is Natalia Vodianova wearing bespoke jeweled bodysuits Katrantzou made specially for the Hugo Comte-lensed photo shoot. Should Bulgari get into the clothing category those second-skin pieces would be a brilliant start. The model’s participation brings the charitable aspect of Katrantzou and jewelry house’s work full circle; Bulgari will be donating a portion of proceeds from sales of the bags to Vodianova’s Naked Heart Foundation.

It’s been nearly a year-and-a-half since Katrantzou’s monumental Temple of Poseidon show. She appreciated the slower pace and the care that went into developing this Bulgari project, and has been thinking about ways to incorporate some of that consideration into her own process. “To be able to see the prototyping, how many times it can be done, what attention to detail can be given, how it feels to work on a collaboration for a year instead of two months-it was very encouraging to think about as a creator. How you want to spend your time? And how you want to apply your own creativity? I felt like the right collaboration for the right moment in time.” Katrantzou has plans to present another couture collection in July. The details are still coming together, but she says it too is “inspired by the idea of metamorphosis.” Expect more butterflies and Serpenti.

The capsule collection will be available in selected Bvlgari boutiques worldwide and on Bulgari.com from April 15. Online pre-orders will start from March 21st.


AI Disclaimer: An advanced artificial intelligence (AI) system generated the content of this page on its own. This innovative technology conducts extensive research from a variety of reliable sources, performs rigorous fact-checking and verification, cleans up and balances biased or manipulated content, and presents a minimal factual summary that is just enough yet essential for you to function as an informed and educated citizen. Please keep in mind, however, that this system is an evolving technology, and as a result, the article may contain accidental inaccuracies or errors. We urge you to help us improve our site by reporting any inaccuracies you find using the "Contact Us" link at the bottom of this page. Your helpful feedback helps us improve our system and deliver more precise content. When you find an article of interest here, please look for the full and extensive coverage of this topic in traditional news sources, as they are written by professional journalists that we try to support, not replace. We appreciate your understanding and assistance.
Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
France Faces New Political Crisis, again, as Prime Minister Bayrou Pushed Out
Nayib Bukele Points Out Belgian Hypocrisy as Brussels Considers Sending Army into the Streets
France, at an Impasse, Heads Toward Another Government Collapse
The Country That Got Too Rich? Public Spending Dominates Norway Election
EU Proposes Phasing Out Russian Oil and Gas by End of 2027 to End Energy Dependence
More Than 150,000 Followers for a Fictional Character: The New Influencers Are AI Creations
EU Prepares for War
Trump Threatens Retaliatory Tariffs After EU Imposes €2.95 Billion Fine on Google
Tesla Board Proposes Unprecedented One-Trillion-Dollar Performance Package for Elon Musk
Gold Could Reach Nearly $5,000 if Fed Independence Is Undermined, Goldman Sachs Warns
Uruguay, Colombia and Paraguay Secure Places at 2026 World Cup
Trump Administration Advances Plans to Rebrand Pentagon as Department of War Instead of the Fake Term Department of Defense
Big Tech Executives Laud Trump at White House Dinner, Unveil Massive U.S. Investments
Tether Expands into Gold Sector with Profit-Driven Diversification
‘Looks Like a Wig’: Online Users Express Concern Over Kate Middleton
Florida’s Vaccine Revolution: DeSantis Declares War on Mandates
Trump’s New War – and the ‘Drug Tyrant’ Fearing Invasion: ‘1,200 Missiles Aimed at Us’
"The Situation Has Never Been This Bad": The Fall of PepsiCo
At the Parade in China: Laser Weapons, 'Eagle Strike,' and a Missile Capable of 'Striking Anywhere in the World'
The Fashion Designer Who Became an Italian Symbol: Giorgio Armani Has Died at 91
Putin Celebrates ‘Unprecedentedly High’ Ties with China as Gazprom Seals Power of Siberia-2 Deal
China Unveils New Weapons in Grand Military Parade as Xi Hosts Putin and Kim
Rapper Cardi B Cleared of Liability in Los Angeles Civil Assault Trial
Google Avoids Break-Up in U.S. Antitrust Case as Stocks Rise
Couple celebrates 80th wedding anniversary at assisted living facility in Lancaster
Information Warfare in the Age of AI: How Language Models Become Targets and Tools
The White House on LinkedIn Has Changed Their Profile Picture to Donald Trump
"Insulted the Prophet Muhammad": Woman Burned Alive by Angry Mob in Niger State, Nigeria
Trump Responds to Death Rumors – Announces 'Missile City'
Druzhba Pipeline Incident Sparks Geopolitical Tensions
Cost of Opposition Leader Péter Magyar's Economic Plan Revealed
Germany in Turmoil: Ukrainian Teenage Girl Pushed to Death by Illegal Iraqi Migrant
United Krack down on human rights: Graham Linehan Arrested at Heathrow Over Three X Posts, Hospitalised, Released on Bail with Posting Ban
Asian and Middle Eastern Investors Avoid US Markets
Ray Dalio Warns of US Shift to Autocracy
Eurozone Inflation Rises to 2.1% in August
Russia and China Sign New Gas Pipeline Deal
Von der Leyen's Plane Hit by Suspected Russian GPS Interference in an Incident Believed to Be Caused by Russia or by Pro-Peace or by Anti-Corruption European Activists
China's Robotics Industry Fuels Export Surge
Suntory Chairman Resigns After Police Probe
Gold Price Hits New All-Time Record
UK Fintechs Explore Buying US Banks
Greece Suspends 5% of Schools as Birth Rate Drops
Apollo to Launch $5 Billion Sports Investment Vehicle
Bolsonaro Trial Nears Close Amid US-Brazil Tension
European Banks Push for Lower Cross-Border Barriers
Poland's Offshore Wind Sector Attracts Investors
Budapest Central European Fashion Week Kicks Off
U.S. Celebrates Labor Day
Hungarian National Team Captain Scores Epic Goal
×