At Bulgari, Carla Bruni is the new first lady

Paris —It was a glittering who’s who at the Paris launch of Bulgari’s Diva collection, which was held at the arresting Hotel Potocki, just a few steps from the Champs Elysees.

Carla Bruni, surrounded by a flock of admirers and bodyguards, was the queen of the event as the new face of Bulgari. The former supermodel and France’s First Lady, along with precious jewels, first launched the collection in Portofino last week to a crowd even more famous than the Paris launch. In attendance were Adrien Brody, a press favorite, seen milling with Terry Richardson. Guests were treated to a concert by Diana Ross.

But make no mistake, the Paris launch, which was attended by Bulgari Philippines country manager Mario Katigbak and Paris’s society crowd, was equally star-filled and included a Parisian fashion show. Among the guests hobnobbing — as models walked around displaying the collection — were Bradley Cooper (who was sitting beside Chinese diva-model Liu Wen), member of the executive committee of LVMH Yves Carcelles, Anna dello Russo, and several women of the social set like Alexa Chung. Filipina Ria Augousti and her husband, of the brand R&Y Augousti, were also in attendance and their handbags were spotted on stylish women.

But on to the jewelry, which was beautiful and bright: the stones are a rhapsody in color, placed together in a way that evoked romance; fittingly the settings are inspired by Bulgari’s home, Rome and Italy. It was la dolce vita in the collection, nothing too sour, nothing miniscule. These are jewels for the bold and tasteful, and for fans of the brand’s snakes and other codes. A brooch in the shape of a curled serpent, purely made of diamonds, is a perfect accessory to the larger pieces: an inverted fan with emeralds, diamonds and rubies hanging from an equally colorful and precious loop.

A serpent draped and curled around the neck — one of the brand’s most familiar calling cards — has been updated with large gems and diamonds, pushed a step further from older designs. It’s as if Bulgari wants to push the envelope and it succeeds; more glamour, more fun than any collection it has had in the past. After all, these pieces are inspired by Italian movie stars like Sophia Loren and the sweet life.

If haute joaillerie can be called “funky,” Diva has it all. Besides color, the way the jewels are interspersed in some designs make them look almost bohemian — or at least, something to be matched with a strapless cotton dress, flowing skirt and sandals. Teardrop emeralds dangle from one style; its gold neckpiece is laden with bright reds and purples. For those seeking pure diamonds, the style inspired by Claudia Cardinale has curved petals dangling in the middle of the chest while the neck mixes petals with round shapes; it’s a 3D piece that is no less daring than the Sophia Loren-inspired design, but looks almost angular.

Bruni was photographed in a design that you could almost hear tinkling — the precious gems dangled on two tiers loosely — no doubt moving left to right (slightly) as she moved.

It looks like a new dawn for Bulgari with Diva. As the brand is owned by LVMH, we can expect only the best.