Wonder Women

Bvlgari: Tribute to Femininity traces the lineage of the Italian house’s jewellery in parallel to the evolution of female empowerment. Karishma Tulsidas tours the exhibition in Moscow.

- Karishma Tulsidas

FEMININITY. THE WORD ALMOST feels like a slur in today’s tense political climate and, for many, it represents a daintiness and delicateness that women do not want to be associated with anymore. So when Bvlgari decided to name its latest exhibition Tribute to Femininity, it was truly a powerful statement. Femininity, in the context of the Italian jeweller, represents the confidence with which women have been wearing their gender for the past century, as depicted in the evolution of Bvlgari’s jewels since its very beginnings in 1884.

At its most basic form, jewellery is inherently a feminine accessory, so defining the core essence of the theme was of paramount importance to brand and heritage curator Lucia Boscaini. She says that the idea actually came from the museum team at the Kremlin, where the exhibition is being held. “While exploring the archives with them, they noticed this link, this common ingredient of how Bvlgari’s style and creativity evolved in a way that can be easily reconnected to the evolution of fashion trends and the lifestyles of women, and that was a starting point,” she explains.