Cleopatra

Carolina Neri and Bérengère Lux are long-time friends and business partners simultaneously, standing behind Ca & Lou – a brand focused on timeless, yet “stealing the spotlight wherever you are” jewellery. This Milan-based label co-operates with one of the best Milanese jewellery workshops, seeking for a balance between clean forms and love for opulent ornaments. The designers behind Ca & Lou draw inspirations from Art Deco era, constantly refining their intricately embellished necklaces, bracelets and rings with minute attention to geometric forms and details. Moreover, Neri and Lux have always been obsessed with excessive costume jewelry – that’s why their autumn-winter 2016 moodboard is filled with archival photographs of Elizabeth Taylor playing Cleopatra, or the one-and-only Greta Garbo. Blurring the lines between retro and contemporary, owning a piece by Ca & Lou is like owning a treasure (surprisingly, in a pretty affordable price, if you compare to other luxury brands).

Available at Concept 21 Store.

So, here I am after some Dolce Vita in Tuscany in the buzzing fashion and design city of Milano! My hotel (SOON) is very much connected to that jewellery label that I will shortly introduce you in this post! Bulgari is known to most people only from one side- the high price. But forgetting of the shopping part, history of Bulgari can be discovered by everyone!
It all started in 1884 when Sotirio Bulgari opened a large boutique called with his name on Via Condotti in Rome. The brand had many crisises, but within the time it was spreading all over the country and then Europe.

After sometime, big super stars came to be wearing the most luxurious products- clients like Marilyn Monroe, Veruschka, Grace Jones and Elizabeth Taylor (that played Cleopatra in Bulgari jewels!) wore Bulgari everyday and on every event. The famous girdle in the shape of a serpent was commissioned by Diana Vreeland, the eccentric Vogue US fashion editor who was known for wearing oversized clothes. Well, these surrealistic pearls were totally into her awesome style!

The biggest ever made diamond at Bulgari had 66 carats and was given as a present to Elizabeth Taylor, a many year face of the brand. Well, it was really big, and for sure made lots of thieves interested… So, after many years of hard work of Bulgari and catching an eye of clients, it got it’s new boutique on jewellery kingdom- Place Vendome in Paris, next to Tiffany & Co., Cartier and Van Cleef Arpels.