The Italian luxury brand has been working on “Serpenti Through the Eyes of”, an ongoing series of capsule collections in honor of their iconic Serpenti handbag and jewelry style. They have recently collaborated with acclaimed designer Alexander Wang to reimagine the trademark motif in a limited-edition capsule collection.
When a collaboration like Alexander Wang and BVLGARI finally comes through, editors mark their calendars and fashion critics and connoisseurs wait with bated breath. Announced in trademark Wang style with a plush party held at 712 Fifth Avenue, the former headquarters of the now-defunct Henri Bendel department store, the alliance has all the makings of creating fashion history. The hallmarks of a 135-year-old luxury house are fused with a contemporary label so seamlessly, you just know you’re looking at the next ‘Instagram-favorite’ collection of the season.
The series is centered around the reinterpretation of the Iconic Serpenti Forever Bag, which Wang has virtuously refashioned in a belt bag, a duette, a shoulder bag, a shopping tote, satchel, and Minaudière. The collection comprises of six leather handbags in white, black and mint green. Wang aims to create designs with a focus on utility for everyday mundane tasks. Each bag features a contemporary update of the snake-theme gold hardware of the Serpenti line and Wang’s current muse Hailey Bieber fronts this illustrious campaign.
From Adidas to H&M and Uniqlo, Alexander Wang has always had a natural instinct for collaborations that appeal to millennials across the globe. With some high-end finesse and a free reign from Maison’s team, this collection fuses the best of NYC street style with Bvlgari’s Roman luxury aesthetics and pedigree. He injects a succulent dose of post-modern playfulness without steering too far from the brand’s inherent artistry and design model. Drawing unexpected inspiration from designer packaging, Wang has introduced new silhouettes that reference dust bags, paper shopping bags and watch boxes, provoking everyone’s idea about what luxury means right now.
His key inspiration was derived from Maison’s prolific history. While accessing the Bvlgari archives he found the original snake-head piece from the 1960s, this kickstarted the design process for him – in his own words, “It was a nod to the sinful woman, and that was something I could relate to. I always think about thrill-seeking when I design.”
