Bulgari have long become a symbol of refined luxury. For many years there have been disputes about where this family came from. On the occasion of the 140th anniversary of the founding of the famous brand, the prestigious French publication Figaro gives its interpretation.
It is categorical that although the family comes to Italy from Greece, it has Bulgarian roots.
The Voulgaris surname can still be found in modern Greece. These are usually the descendants of those more than 2,000 of our compatriots who actively participated in the struggle for Greek Independence (1821-1830). There is also a prime minister, Dimitrios Voulgaris.
But the most famous family is Vulgari or Bulgari from the island of Corfu. They are supposed to be descended from the Bulgarian kings. The importance of this family is indicated by the fact that they held the relics of Saint Spyridon, the patron saint of the island. The great enlightener and statesman Eugenios Voulgaris, who is in fact the founder of the modern Greek language, is also associated with their family.
Curiously, in some writings the famous Italian also traces its origins to the illustrious family from the island of Corfu, but for most researchers this is unlikely.
Sotirios, the founder of the jewellery firm, was born in 1857 in the Greek mountain village of Kalarites, located east of the large Epirus city of Ioannina. There is no doubt in Figaro's mind that his family emigrated from Bulgaria, like many other Bulgarians, to the lands later annexed by Greece during the Balkan Wars. The reason given for the departure was another Russo-Turkish war, the Crimean War.
Sotirios, as well as his whole family, was engaged in the making of jewelry of silver and gold. Another Russo-Turkish war in 1877-1878 again forced the family to seek a more peaceful place. They moved to Corfu, and from there, in 1880, the young goldsmith set off for Boot.
Sotirios settled first in Brindisi, where he made beautiful but inexpensive jewellery, then in Naples and finally moved to the Eternal City. Thus begins the saga...
In her early years, Bulgari was known for making silverware that borrowed elements from Byzantine and Islamic art, combining them with floral motifs. Fashion trends coming from Paris also had a huge influence on Sotirios' designs. The jewels of the early 1920s are characterised by Art Deco platinum settings, while those of the 1930s feature geometric diamond motifs - sometimes in combination with coloured gemstones. Reversible jewellery was also popular at this time, and one of Bulgari's main designs was the Trombino, a small tube-shaped ring.
Sotirios died in 1932 and was succeeded by his two sons, Giorgio and Constantino, who like their father and generations before him were fascinated by gold and precious stones. The two guided the family through the difficult years of World War II, when precious stones were scarce, and most jewelry was made only of gold. They also created the famous Serpenti bracelet watches.
Hollywood and Italian movie stars also contributed to Bulgari's fame in the post-war period. In the 1950s, among Bulgari's most famous customers were Elizabeth Taylor, Anna Magnani, Ingrid Bergman and Gina Lollobrigida. In the 1970s, the brand also opened boutiques in New York, Monte Carlo, Geneva and Paris.
Today, 140 years after its creation, it is part of the large Louis Vuitton group and continues to delight connoisseurs of refined taste with its wonderful jewellery, which is also based on the Bulgarian tradition of precious metal working. I BGNES