SNEAKER PIMPS
‘Ugly trainers’ are having a moment. They’ve been spotted on the feet of fashionistas everywhere teamed with everything from pretty dresses to joggers and straight-leg jeans. So, wearing your trainers on the commute is now officially on trend.
SUIT REBOOT
No longer office-bound, tailored suits are becoming a standout look. Snap up this candycoloured Ganni number (below) to inject a shot of pink into your winter wardrobe. Coveting something more classic? Look to COS or Finery London for a chic design that works with a simple tee for a stylish, understated take.
The feeling of having Bulgari’s ‘The Green Liz’ placed around your neck (as two bodyguards stand nearby) is almost otherworldly. The pendant, which has a 59.11ct cabochon emerald, was inspired by a necklace owned by Elizabeth Taylor and it practically pulsates with Hollywood glamour. It’s the centrepiece of Festa, Bulgari’s latest high jewellery collection, which was launched in Venice (where Marie got to – gulp – play dress up).
During the La Dolce Vita era of the 60s, a catalogue of Hollywood stars, including Sophia Loren and Gina Lollobrigida, were pictured in jaw-dropping Bulgari designs. ‘Fun’ and ‘fine’ aren’t the most obvious pairing – when it comes to jewellery, anyway – but Bulgari’s trademark is the use of coloured gemstones, often in the form of cabochons (a rounded, gobstopper-like cut), and a tongue-in-cheek sensibility. Bulgari’s jewellery creative director Lucia Silvestri joined the house when she was only 18 and is still as obsessed as ever, over 30 years later. ‘On top of making you feel feminine, jewellery has to give you great joy,’ she believes.
The Festa collection was inspired by the idea of celebrations, parties and Italian food: ‘Drawing the collection – about those childhood memories of early parties, full of surprises – was a real creative challenge but also an absolute joy,’ says Silvestri. Cue rose-gold ‘lollipop’ brooches studded with diamonds, and layers of agate carved into ‘torta’ cake rings. When it comes to stones, she has ‘a great passion for sapphires, but the dream of my life? A 10ct Burmese ruby with an emerald cut.’
Extravagant jewels aside, the house now offers a host of options with a less Liz-worthy price tag: the chunky gold B.zero1 rings, leather goods and the cult ‘Shelley’ silk scarves. Bulgari was founded in Rome in 1884 by Greek-born Sotirio Bulgari, and the brand’s signature Serpenti motif is an homage to Bulgari’s heritage. In the 40s, he started using a technique found in ancient Roman design for the twisted gold bracelet strap of his first watch, which coiled snake-like around the wrist. Serpenti bangles, which La Taylor famously wore for her Cleopatra publicity shots, followed. Now, as well as slithering over jewellery designs, the enamel snake’s head with gemstone eyes is the clasp for the Serpenti Forever bag collection. With a newly renovated Selfridges boutique opening next month and the launch of a new collection of B.zero1 (including a special capsule designed by the late, great Zaha Hadid), it’s going to be a bumper Bulgari year. Here, Silvestri gives us a sneak peek at some of the highlights…
