When Bulgari’s now-iconic Serpenti collection debuted in 1948, it shocked, surprised, and delighted—but mostly it allured.
Using the Tubogas tubular technique, brothers Giorgio and Costantino Bulgari (sons of Bulgari’s founder, Sotirio) created the slithering, wraparound wrist pieces. Serpenti has since changed forms, shed its skin (so to speak), and come anew multiple times over, forever maintaining its cult status—it’s been beloved by everyone from Diana Vreeland to Elizabeth Taylor.
To celebrate the design’s 75th anniversary, a pop-up show featuring 25 rare Bulgari pieces has been created in collaboration with multisensory artist Refik Anadol (who also currently has an AI-enhanced installation at MoMA). The immersive AI-generated exhibit “Bulgari Serpenti: 75 Years of Infinite Tales” is on view through July 16 at 70 Gansevoort St. in Manhattan.
“In the last 75 years, women have affirmed the right to be independent, cultivate their talents, pursue their dreams and live a life that aligns with their desires,” reads Bulgari’s website. “From the red carpet to the office, Serpenti has been their faithful ally, evolving side by side with confident women proud to reveal their magnetic charm.”
The “Bulgari Serpenti: 75 Years” exhibition includes a suite of seven one-of-a-kind high jewelry pieces created specifically for the anniversary. In the show, Bulgari jewels are positioned amid Anadol’s artwork exploring the inspiration, heritage, and history of the Serpenti design—engaging and honoring the past while embracing and adapting to the future. That’s something Serpenti, as a design, is no stranger to. Here’s to another 75 years of Serpenti!
Top: Some of the pieces on display in Bulgari Serpenti’s 75th anniversary exhibit in New York City’s Meatpacking District
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