ROME, ITALY--(Marketwire - March 11, 2010) - Bulgari
has appointed British fashion designer Matthew Williamson to design a capsule
collection of handbags for Spring/Summer 2011.
The capsule collection will be the first collaboration
between Bulgari and a fashion designer, and will be presented during Milan
Fashion week in September 2010.
Matthew Williamson rose to fame after showing his debut
collection 'Electric Angels', during London Fashion Week in 1997. He
became instantly known for his use of bright and exotic colors. Following this
initial show, Williamson's collections have continued to gather momentum,
cementing his reputation as an internationally renowned designer and one of the
UK's leading designer talents. In 2005 Matthew had a stint as Creative Director
of Italian House Emilio Pucci - a natural progression with his reputation for
kaleidoscopic color and modern fashion design. Today he continues at the design
helm of his namesake company, while receiving numerous awards and accolades,
including the Red Carpet Designer of the Year presented to him at the 2008
British Fashion Awards.
Bulgari's CEO Francesco Trapani
commented: "We chose Matthew Williamson for the great sense of color
and design he brings to his work which resonates with our brand's
rich history".
Bulgari accessories and leather goods are designed by an
internal design team located in the same Florence Accessories Atelier where
they are created and manufactured.
Bulgari is one of
the global players on the luxury market. In 2008 the Group posted a turnover of
1,075.4 million Euro. Bulgari relies on a stores network in the most exclusive
shopping areas in the world and on selected distributors. As of 31.12.2009 the
number of the Bulgari stores in the world was 279 of which 172 as directly
owned stores. Bulgari has a product portfolio that ranges from jewels and
watches to accessories and perfumes. The Group is controlled by the Bulgari
family, holding about 52.0% of the share capital. The remaining 48.0% is
floating on the Milan Stock Exchange.