25 Years On, The B.Zero1 Retains Its Youthful Spirit
With its clean and modern curves, the B.zero1 collection by bvlgari has led to countless reinterpretations. Now, a new cultural initiative by the italian luxury house has put the spotlight back on its versatility and innately youthful spirit. Imran Jalal rediscovers this Gen Z jewellery icon in Seoul.
The year was 1999 and while many were pondering about the impending new millennium, the house of Bvlgari was already set for its own exciting adventure with the debut of a jewellery collection dubbed B.zero1. The name – reminiscent of binary code – was concocted with both playful and poetic intent: “B” for Bvlgari, “zero” for the new millennium, and “1” for new beginnings. Here was a collection designed to symbolise the spirit of the future and court a trendier, more youthful set of luxury consumers.
Bulgari
The broad and enduring appeal of the Bvlgari B.zero1 collection lies in its minimalist, gender-neutral aesthetic that features a sculptural, Tubogas spiral design bookended by flat rings engraved with the Bvlgari name.
Unlike most of the Italian jeweller’s other signatures (think the glamorous Serpenti with its snake motif, or the feminine and graphic Divas’ Dream anchored by a distinctive fan-shaped element), the B.zero1 stands out with its clean, gender-neutral curves. This broad appeal might explain reports of how more than 2 million bands have been sold since its launch 25 years ago.
An archival advertisement for the B.Zero1 ring showcases its modern appeal from its early days.
Every ring is crafted using the brand’s special Tubogas technique, resulting in its sculptural spiral form bookended by fat bands that – as a whole – pays homage to the Colosseum in Bvlgari’s home town of Rome. Another distinctive feature: the engraving of the brand’s name on the surface of the fat rings – a somewhat unorthodox and thus daring move in the world of luxury jewellery. “The fusion of these distinctive traits has made B.zero1 an emblem of modernity, pushing boundaries and defying canonical perceptions of jewellery,” says Lucia Silvestri, Bvlgari’s jewellery creative director, in an email interview with FEMALE.
Bulgari
Every B.zero1 ring is crafted using the brand’s special Tubogas technique, resulting in its architectural spiral design.
Fast forward to 2024 and the B.zero1 has taken on a new role as a muse for creators through Bvlgari’s new project, Bvlgari Studio. Introduced in March at a fashionable, high-octane party in Seoul attended by the likes of Blackpink’s Lalisa Manoban, and Jungwon and Ni-Ki of Enhypen, the initiative is meant to be a platform that fosters collaboration across various creative disciplines such as animation, music and dance. Its objective is twofold: to reinforce and recharge Bvlgari’s legacy of innovation, and – through this – help spotlight its designs and values to the next generation.
“B.zero1 is a line that has resonated with the younger generation since its launch,” says Lucia Silvestri (pictured), Bvlgari’s jewellery creative director in an email interview with FEMALE.
To kick off Bvlgari Studio, the brand commissioned three young creatives from around the world to conceptualise artworks inspired by the B.zero1. German digital artist Antoni Tudisco – nicknamed “digital Picasso” – conjured up a trippy animated flm featuring the rings pulsating against a futuristic landscape that was beamed across a giant screen at the party. American multidisciplinary artist and DJ Anyma came up with an audiovisual performance in the vein of his famous spectacles at Tomorrowland that included a video of star-crossed robots bedecked in B.zero1 rings.
Then there was French choreographer Sadeck Berrabah’s hypnotic staging of 85 dancers moving in sync with clinical precision or – in his words – “in dialogue with the aesthetic of the B.zero1”. Says Silvestri: “We selected B.zero1 as the starting point of this journey because it is the icon that has at its core a modern, versatile and groundbreaking identity. It is its intrinsic versatility that has allowed us to open new creative avenues, making it one of the most visionary icons of jewellery.” (The brand plans to cast the Bvlgari Studio spotlight on other house signatures in future.)
Says German digital artist Antoni Tudisco, who came up with a hypnotic, sci-fi-inflected animated film as part of the inaugural edition of Bvlgari Studio: “If I were to encapsulate the story behind the B.zero1, it’s about transcending the traditional boundaries of jewellery design to create something that both honours Bvlgari’s rich heritage and propels it into the future.”
Indeed – even before the launch of Bvlgari Studio – the B.zero1 has proven to be prime material for creative reinterpretation and play. Through collaborations, it has been reimagined by industry giants, such as the late architect Zaha Hadid and the sculptor Anish Kapoor, to great fanfare. On its own, the brand regularly updates the line. New additions this year include rings in a single shade of gold with the ends of their spiral core lined with pave diamonds; a ring with its entire spiral section studded in pave diamonds of varying sizes; and drop earrings with a chain-like design that recalls the silhouette of the B.zero1 rings, also set with pave diamonds.
Choreographer Sadeck Berrabah (middle of picture) composed a powerful dance featuring more than 80 performers,
“For a brand, the greatest challenge is to constantly reinvent itself, embrace new needs and trends that are constantly changing, and be able to project into the future without ever losing the connection to its essence and legacy,” says Silvestri. “But creativity moves in an ever‐evolving fow and to keep nurturing it, it’s necessary to step outside known boundaries and experiment with new possibilities.” Now, how’s that for a ring leader?
This article first appeared in the May 2024 Beauty Edition of FEMALE