If you Google “where did Bulgari start?”, the answer will be “Rome.” However, did you know that Bulgari actually started in a Greek village? We know we sound like that Greek grandfather who claims that everything is from Greece. However, it’s true.
Sotiris Voulgaris, a Greek from Epirus, was the founder of the famous jewelry company Bulgari, which is one of the most successful jewelers internationally. How did Bulgari become so famous from its humble Greek beginnings?
Sotirios Bulgari
Sotirios born in 1857 in Epirus and was one of eleven siblings. He got the passion for jewelry from his grandfather Constantine, who used to work as a street vendor in Epirus. Sotirios was the only one in his family who continued his grandfather’s craft as a jeweler. His grandfather Constantine was a street vendor in Epirus, and he used to create gold and silver jewelry.
Sotirios’s first experience selling jewelry was with his father – together, they opened a store in Paramythia. At the time, the area had problems from the Ottomans who still occupied the region of Epirus. So, the Bulgari family’s store was damaged, and they were forced to move to Corfu and then to Naples in Italy.
Bulgari Moves to Italy
In Naples in the 1880s, the Bulgari family opened up a shop again, but there was a high crime rate in the city. The shop was a constant target, so they needed to close again.
Eventually, however, Sotirios found success with a shop in Rome. English tourists came to Rome and bought their silver jewelry. The first store was on Via Sistina, and a new shop was then opened on Via Condotti.
The most successful product was a ring called the “Trombino”. It was a small trumpet shaped ring that sold very well in Rome and Paris in the early 1900s.
It was made first by Giorgios Bulgari in 1932, and the first Trombino Bulgari ring was set completely with diamonds. It was an engagement ring for his wife, Leonilde Gulienetti.
Bulgari in the 1930s
Sotirios died in 1932 and left the business for his two sons, Giorgio and Costantino, who grew the brand to what it is today, with its famous logo, which was designed in 1934. The logo features golden brass letters and was used on the big central doorway of the largest store on Via Condotti.
Bulgari And Movie Stars
Among the movie stars who came to the store in Rome are Elizabeth Taylor, Audrey Hepburn, Ingrid Bergman, Grace Kelly, and Anita Ekberg. They were known for wearing their Bulgari jewelry both on and off the screen.
Bulgari creations have been in more than 40 films – Never so Few with Gina Lollobrigida and Casinò with Sharon Stone, along with Mission Impossible are just a few examples. The jewelry of Bulgari has also been seen at the Academy Awards, the Golden Globes, and film festivals from Cannes to Venice.
Bulgari and Elizabeth Taylor
Elizabeth Taylor was known for her impressive jewellery collection, and she also loved Bulgari jewels. She came to Rome to film Cleopatra, and she fell in love with the brand. She visited the Condotti store and once said that “undeniably one of the biggest advantages to filming Cleopatra in Rome was Bulgari’s shop”.
In 2011, Christie’s Auction house sold some of Elizabth Taylor’s collection, and it was one of the most valuable sales of jewelry in the auction house’s history.
Bulgari Today
Bulgari just celebrated 140 years of business and its headquarters are in Valenza, Italy. It has the largest manufacturing headquarters for jewelry in Europe, at 14,000 square meters. The company now has over four thousand employees across the world and a net worth of billions of euros. Bulgari is a global icon with branches all over the world, but it will always have its roots in a village in Epirus.
Epirus: Bulgari’s Birthplace
The Bulgari brand started in humble beginnings in the village of Paramythia in Epirus in Northern Greece. Where is Epirus? Where are the most popular places to visit near the birthplace of Sotirios Bulgari?
About Epirus
Epirus is a region in northwestern Greece, known for its impressive mountains, quaint cottages and well-crafted bridges. It also has a selection of beautiful beaches along the Ionian coast. We will share some of Epirus’s top places to visit below.
Preveza
Preveza is just one hour from the Bulgari howetown of Paramythia. Preveza is gaining popularity among tourists to Greece because of its pristine landscapes, nature areas, stunning beaches, and ancient and historical sites. The town of Preveza is found on the Amvrakikos Gulf, in Western Greece. The current town was built over the ancient town of Vereniki which was founded by the King of Epirus in 290 BC.
Sivota
Sivota is 45 minutes from the Bulgari howetown of Paramythia. Sivota is a seaside village north of Parga and south of Igoumenitsa. The destination is also a seaside village full of greenery and incredible beaches. In the summer, visitors come from all over the world to enjoy Sivota’s laid-back Greek atmosphere. The restaurants in Sivota have delicious seafood and of course fresh fish from the Ionian Sea.
Zagorochoria
The “Zagorochoria” are also known as the “Zagori villages” or “the place beyond the mountains” and are two hours from the Bulgari howetown of Paramythia. For centuries, because these villages were hidden in the mountains, they kept a unique character compared to the rest of Greece and were protected naturally by the mountains from many intruders.
This is why you will find local food and customs found only in this area. Some of the Most popular Zagorochoria villages are Ano Pedina, Papigo, Tsepelovo, Vitsa, Monodendri, Asprageli, Aristi, and Greveniti.
