Luxury Unlimited

The iconic serpentine design, a symbol of eternity, inspires Bvlgari to aim for the long term. Its India strategy is no exception, says CEO Jean-Christophe Babin.

- BY VINOD NAIR

The iconic serpentine design, a symbol of eternity, inspires Bvlgari to aim for the long term. Its India strategy is no exception, says CEO Jean-Christophe Babin.

In the 1960s, the iconic Elizabeth Taylor took the fashion high street by storm when she sported a Bvlgari Serpenti watch during the filming of Cleopatra. It was nothing short of a promotional triumph—everything about the classic serpentine is reminiscent of the tragic Egyptian queen, arguably the oldest muse to have graced the Earth. Eons and millennia later, she continues to seduce the imagination of artists, poets, and fashion brands alike with the lethal combination of beauty, intellect, femininity, mystery, and power.

For Bvlgari, the Italian luxury house steeped in ancient Mediterranean allure, there's no better icon to hold its beacon. And, Taylor's Cleopatra cemented the imagery. Now, the serpentine design is almost synonymous with the Roman high jeweller in the world of luxe.

Despite its first appearance in 1948, the iconic collection continues to rule the global fashion scene as nothing screams regalia louder. But for Bvlgari, the serpentine—a symbol of eternity—is not just a design; it is at the core of the brand's philosophy. “We never believe in the short term. Whatever we do is...for what we could achieve with the future in mind,” Bvlgari global CEO Jean-Christophe Babin, who was in Mumbai in October, tells Fortune India. He was in the Maximum City to unveil the third global Serpenti Infinito exhibition, held as a part of the Chinese Year of the Snake, at the Nita Mukesh Ambani Cultural Centre. In attendance were Bvlgari global ambassador Priyanka Chopra, Reliance Foundation chairperson and founder Nita Ambani, her daughter and Reliance Industries non-executive director Isha Ambani, and a host of celebrities from the world of business, art, and entertainment.