Bulgari CEO Jean-Christophe Babin says brand heritage inspires designs of the future
Jean-Christophe Babin, CEO of Bulgari, preserves the brand's creative heritage and expertise while embracing the latest technology, writes Vivian Chen
A. Each division has its own general manager and creative director who have specific objectives, but there is a lot of synergy. The different divisions are constantly communicating with each other. For example, [the theme of] our latest high-jewellery collection is Italian gardens, and the motifs are interpreted in our watch collection. Our jewellery codes are visible in our watch collections, as well as leather goods collections, but we also make sure that the codes are not interpreted in too many different [product categories] to ensure consistency.
A. I've tried a few smart watches, and I'm not sure that they are in competition with luxury watches. Luxury is quality, craftsmanship and timelessness, which is quite the opposite of smart watches. Bulgari comes into the market with the concept watch Diagono Magnesium, which is Swiss-manufactured for its timelessness, beautiful craftsmanship and value-added service that no smart watch can provide. Our brand makes daring moves to embrace the latest technology without compromising luxuriousness or jeopardising the Bulgari image.
A. With 130 years of expertise, we have developed a lot of masterpieces that inspire creativity for new designs. Our iconic serpenti motif, for example, was first introduced in the 1930s. We are not reproducing archival pieces but introducing [modern] technology such as the tubogas system to enhance comfort of wearing. Heritage inspires designs of the future, and technology differentiates us from our competition.
A. The most important [strategy] is to rebuild confidence in Bulgari teams - to know that we could be the best jeweller in the world in terms of creativity and commercial success. We build confidence - not arrogance.
A. My only decision is to keep it as it is. With so much growth potential in jewellery, watches, accessories and hotels - we are going to open hotels very soon in Shanghai, Beijing and Dubai - why would we invest time and energy in finding a sixth business category? We should first [let existing categories grow further].