Interview: What Does A Creative Director Really Keep in Her Handbag? Mary Katrantzou on Inspiration, Influences and What She Totes Around Town
Ahead of Bvlgari’s Calla Collection launch in Dubai tonight Bazaar Arabia met with the new creative director of leather goods and accessories to discuss her ‘official’ debut bag collection – and to take a peek inside her own handbag
As one of the hottest tickets at London Fashion Week, Mary Katrantzou was known for ready to wear that landed on signature prints, architectural silhouettes and dazzling creativity, making her loved by the style set and a red-carpet favourite.
Combined with Bvlgari’s 140-year heritage as the home of colourful gemstones and joyful high jewellery, the maison is surely a dream match for the designer – but it’s far more considered than a marriage of convenience. The relationship has been building for some time. “It’s rare within luxury to have the opportunity to develop trust,” Mary told Bazaar Arabia’s Editor in Chief, Olivia Phillips in Paris, but since kickstarting their collaborations, it’s a natural progression.
“When I did the Temple of Poseidon show in Greece (five years ago), Bvlgari very generously loaned incredible heritage high-jewellery pieces which celebrated Bvlgari’s Greek-Roman roots.” It was a lightbulb moment for Mary. “At that moment we realised there was a lot of synergy between my work and Bvlgari.” Known for her clever use of bold colour, the collaboration flowed. Although Mary is keen to point out, “it’s not just about the colour. It’s also the importance of narrative and an alchemy that I’ve always brought into my work.” These deep-dive elements of consideration bring so much more gravitas to the resulting accessories, beyond being ‘just’ a mere bag.
Mary’s memories of Bvlgari run deep. “My mother owned a few Bvlgari pieces… She still hasn’t given them to me! I need to be wearing them now!” So, it’s prescient that Mary has been able to move on from coveting her family heirlooms and now has access to the entire Bvlgari archive. “I think, aesthetically, Bvlgari is a brand that helped form my own design aesthetic.” For her first collection, Mary’s designs centre around the motif of the Calla. The fan-like design was inspired by the Terme di Caracalla baths (which were named as one of the seven wonders of ancient Rome.)
Their incredible marble mosaics were revealed in 2015, after a hefty restoration project which Bvlgari was involved in. The ancient world continues to provide a seam of rich inspiration across the whole maison’s creative endeavours. What of the pieces that have been inspired by this ancient revelation? The Calla collection offers a selection of divine bags that are set to become as coveted as the high jewellery pieces themselves.
Throughout, the fan-shaped Calla motif is a signature, appearing on the padded nappa Serpenti Sugarloaf shoulder-bag, which is crafted by Bvlgari’s artisans in a Florentine atelier. The Serpentine Duo trapeze-shaped tote echoes the facets on cut gemstones while the Gingko clutch is supported by a leather bracelet and is a bag that makes as much of a statement as any gemstone.
However beautiful these bags are, handbags are still one of the most prosaic accessories in a woman’s wardrobe as they need to physically perform as carrying vessels. How does Mary reference the importance of a handbag in a woman’s life? “There is a real connection,” she muses. “It’s part of everyday life but it’s also a piece of beauty that describes you, like fashion does. Bags are such a big part of our daily lives. (They) allow you to go about your day, but at the same time, you’re holding a piece that makes you feel strong, ready. The bag you hold tells so much about who you are.”
What we carry in our bags can be even more revealing, so Bazaar Arabia was eager to discover what the Greek designer carries in her own bag. Elegantly excavating the capacious tote, Mary reveals taxi receipts, noise-blocking earplugs (“I’ve not used them, but in case”), “the best thing I’ve been gifted by Bvlgari that I carry everywhere” – a measuring tape in green croc with her initials. Painkillers, 20 euros, an eyebrow pencil, her phone and a charger. Perfectly fusing ancient inspiration with modern lifestyle, Mary Katrantzou is mapping out an exciting future for Bvlgari and we can’t wait to see what comes next.
Images courtesy of Bvlgari
From Harper’s Bazaar Arabia’s November 2024 Issue.