Mary Katrantzou Is Bulgari’s First Creative Director of Leather Goods and Accessories
Mary Katrantzou, the Greek designer who broke through in the late aughts and 2010s for her ornate, colorful, pattern-heavy designs, has joined Bulgari as its first-ever creative director of leather goods and accessories. In the new role, Katrantzou will create a range of products for the fashion house, from everyday accessories like leather bags to one-of-a-kind and special high-jewelry pieces.
Ever since she presented her Central Saint Martins MA show back in 2008, Katrantzou has been known for her skills with prints, textiles, and maximalist adornments. Jewelry and accessories, too, have always been highlighted in the designer’s work. Even that first student collection, which was quickly picked up by the British department store Browns, featured trompe l'oeil prints of oversized jewelry and replicas created from wood and metal.
A look from Katrantzou’s Central Saint Martins MA 2008 fashion show.
Since then, Katrantzou has collaborated with Longchamp on a range of bags, as well as Adidas on both clothes and sneakers. She also worked with Bulgari in 2021, feeling a connection to the brand, if only because she shares Greek heritage with its founder, Sotirio Bulgari. Two years after the jewelry brand lent out pieces for Katrantzou’s show at the Temple of Poseidon in Athens, they invited her to design some pieces for a capsule collection. The result was a range of bags by Katrantzou, inspired by Bulgari’s iconic serpent motif. Now, she will take that experience to the next level.
“It’s a new chapter, and being around a completely different culture than my own company has been so inspiring,” Katrantzou said, according to Vogue. “The speed with which an idea can be realized and a prototype can be made is extremely rewarding for any creative.”
Models in Katrantzou’s fall/winter 2016/17 show, held in Beijing, China.
Katrantzou’s first pieces for Bulgari will be available in stores this August. Until then, the designer must travel to Bulgari’s ateliers in Florence and offices in Rome from her home in Athens, where she moved at the start of the pandemic to give birth to her son. She will also continue to work on her own brand, which is based out of London. “Andy Warhol said, ‘When I’m in Rome, I always go to Bulgari because it’s like visiting the best contemporary art exhibition,’” Katrantzou said. “There’s just so much potential here.”
