In the first week of January 2025, Jean-Christophe Babin, CEO of BVLGARI, flew directly from his Christmas holiday in Cuba to Shanghai, China.
At Shanghai’s Zhangyuan, he joined Anne Hathaway and Liu Yifei to inaugurate BVLGARI’s Snake Year exhibition for the start of 2025—“Serpenti Infinito.”
On the exhibition’s opening day, “more than 1,000 people had already queued in the morning”. Passing through the long lines, we had an in-depth discussion with Mr. Babin. He spoke with Luxe.CO about the significance of the snake to the brand, his observations and predictions for the Chinese market, and shared his thoughts on the trending topic of AI (Artificial Intelligence).
This high-profile luxury exhibition at the start of the year holds extraordinary significance for both the BVLGARI brand and the Chinese luxury market:
- For China, the Year of the Snake is approaching, and in Chinese culture, the snake symbolizes wisdom, rationality, good fortune, and vitality.
- For BVLGARI, the snake is a timeless icon embedded in the brand’s history. Since the launch of the first Serpenti collection in 1948, the snake has been a representative visual symbol appearing across BVLGARI’s jewelry, watches, leather goods, and accessories. “It is also the symbol of eternal jewelry, wrapping as an eight—a symbol of infinity”.
- For the Chinese luxury market, in a year where trends remain uncertain and undefined, the exhibition signals BVLGARI’s unwavering confidence and active investment in the market.
Above: Babin shared a post on his personal Instagram about the BVLGARI Serpenti exhibition, saying, “Celebrating a few weeks ahead of the Chinese Lunar Snake Year, no brand can do it better than us.”
“The Snake Symbolizes Universality and Eternity”
For BVLGARI, the Year of the Snake aligns with its “zodiac year.”
“I first came to China as a student, and I know there are many stories and myths about snakes here. The beauty of it lies in the fact that you can find stories about snakes in other cultures worldwide, including Chinese culture,” Babin told Luxe.CO.
China has a deep-rooted snake culture. In ancient mythology, Fuxi and Nüwa, the ancestors of humanity, were often depicted with human heads and snake bodies intertwined. Modern scholar Wen Yiduo even boldly stated in his mythological study, The Fuxi Research, “Dragons are large snakes, and snakes are small dragons.”
In folklore, snakes are revered as “guardian spirits,” giving rise to proverbs like “When a snake enters your house, don’t harm it,” or “If a snake circles your beam for three days, your family will prosper for a thousand years.” Ancient people worshiped snakes to the extent of adorning everyday items and clothing with snake patterns, seeking blessings and divine protection.
“In addition to the Chinese Year of the Snake, I believe the snake holds another vital symbolic meaning: universality and eternity, which are two very strong dimensions which make the Bulgari jewelry even more relevant. This meaning is especially precious in today’s societal context and mindset. Through this opportunity, we also hope to convey the timeless and global significance of Serpenti,” Babin stated.
At the opening of the exhibition, Liu Yifei and Anne Hathaway appeared wearing BVLGARI’s Serpenti high jewelry collection, featuring necklaces, earrings, and rings. Babin told us, “Whether you’re Chinese or American, wherever you go, if you wear Serpenti, you will always be, with the right styling. Wearing Serpenti means telling others: she is a strong, tasteful woman wearing on her wrist a piece of philosophy and history.”
Above: Babin shared a photo on his personal Instagram with Anne Hathaway (left) and Liu Yifei (right).
During the exhibition, BVLGARI collaborated with the Aurora Museum’s Chinese Cultural Relics Exchange Center to showcase a collection of ancient Chinese artifacts adorned with snake motifs. These included a jade ring with snake patterns from the Warring States period, a bronze “He Zun” vessel with coiling snakes from the early Western Zhou dynasty, and a ceremonial python-pattern robe from the Wanli era of the Ming dynasty, offering audiences a glimpse into the importance of the snake in traditional Chinese culture.
Opposite these ancient Chinese snake-themed artifacts, BVLGARI displayed various pieces from its Serpenti antique jewelry and watch collections, created since the 1950s.
Above: A reproduction of a green-ground brocade ceremonial robe with cloud and python motifs from the Wanli era of the Ming dynasty, displayed at the exhibition.
How Do Luxury Brands Maintain High Desirability?
According to Luxe.CO Intelligence’s Luxury Jewelry & Watch Brands in China Power Rankings 2024 H1, BVLGARI stood out among the top five luxury jewelry and watch brands as the one most actively collaborating with artists and creatives.
For this exhibition, BVLGARI worked with 19 domestic and international artists to present 28 artworks spanning various disciplines, including calligraphy, paper cutting, sculpture, painting, sound art, video, and AI.
Above: A selection of artworks on display
“We are well aware that China has a profound cultural, artistic, and architectural history, and its people deeply value art. To ensure the exhibition resonates emotionally with Chinese consumers, we collaborated with Chinese artists. Promoting local art has always been a key mission of BVLGARI.”
As luxury brands navigate diverse consumer profiles across different countries and stages of social development, art remains the one universal element that can resonate with everyone.
During the exhibition, the artwork that left the deepest impression on Babin was “Infinito: AI Data Sculpture” by Turkish artist Refik Anadol, created using AI technology. This piece was displayed in an independent, fully mirrored space.
Above: Refik Anadol’s “Infinito: AI Data Sculpture”
“This was undoubtedly one of the most extraordinary experiences of my life. Inside, looking down felt like diving deep into the Earth, looking up resembled gazing at the stars, and looking to the sides felt like standing in an infinite forest,” Babin marveled.
He believes that AI functions as a magnifier for art, enhancing emotions and creativity:
“I believe AI can elevate human emotions to an entirely new level. Such a capability has never existed before, but this doesn’t mean that AI will replace human-added value. AI is always driven by humans, drawing from algorithms provided by people and transforming them into results that exceed human imagination. If human ideas are like seeds, then AI can grow those seeds into towering trees—trees that are ten times larger than a mountain.”
Above: Babin shared his thoughts on AI and art on his personal Instagram.
As early as 2022, BVLGARI experimented with integrating cutting-edge digital technology into jewelry and watch design. In March of that year, it launched its first Octo Finissimo Ultra watch NFT, followed in June by the brand’s first fully digital high jewelry collection, Beyond Wonder.
Babin revealed that this year, BVLGARI has decided for the first time to include a Digital Contemporary Art Award as part of the Maxxi BVLGARI Prize, aiming to explore more possibilities at the intersection of advanced innovative technology and art creation.
(Note: The Maxxi BVLGARI Prize was co-established by BVLGARI and the MAXXI Museum of 21st Century Art in Rome in 2017. It is awarded biennially to support young Italian artists creating works for public institutions or private venues.)
When we asked Babin for his views on AI, a globally discussed topic, he stated bluntly: “Today, if a company cannot integrate AI into its operations, from upstream processes to communication, it will lose its competitiveness.”
Known for its precision craftsmanship in jewelry and watches, BVLGARI has already incorporated AI to assist its artisans:
“Our craftsmen work daily with extremely small components of jewelry and watches, which can strain their eyesight. With AI, we can provide them with a magnifier, allowing them to focus more on the manual aspects of their work. Tasks like identifying and selecting microscopic components can be entrusted to AI. When a craftsman picks up the wrong part, AI sends an error signal immediately. Without AI, such mistakes might only be discovered after the watch is fully assembled and doesn’t function.”
“AI is also an excellent predictive tool. It can forecast your sales and optimize supply chain alignment. With algorithmic calculations, supply and demand are far more accurate than before. While human brains can achieve similar results, they often take months, whereas AI can do it in seconds. AI helps businesses improve efficiency. It can even predict when you are likely to purchase a piece of jewelry or which specific piece you might buy.”
Above: BVLGARI master artisans attended the exhibition, showcasing the brand’s exceptional craftsmanship in an interactive workshop format.
“Trees Don’t Keep Growing to the Sky”
When asked about last year’s fluctuations in the global luxury market, Babin remarked:
“In the luxury industry, when you witness very strong growth, you tend to assume that this tree will keep growing bigger and bigger. But in reality, we all know that trees don’t keep growing to the sky. After the growth of spring and summer comes autumn and winter, when the trees inevitably shed some leaves before waiting for the next spring growth cycle.”
Regarding this year’s global luxury market, Babin pointed out that China remains a primary market for Western jewelry brands and will continue to be one of the engines of growth in the future.
“But I believe some brands might have overlooked other growth engines. We cannot rely solely on China as our only engine of growth. Especially when managing a company, you need to try putting your eggs in different baskets. If you place all your eggs in one basket, you’d better cook them before the basket falls; otherwise, the game is over.”
Commenting on the development of luxury markets in different regions, Babin made his predictions:
“The United States will grow rapidly in the next four years. We should also not underestimate the European market. Although, compared to China, Europeans can be a bit lazy, Europe has hosted a significant number of tourists over the past 15 years. In the future, Europe will undoubtedly contribute to the growth of the luxury market.”
“Additionally, India will become one of the world’s top five luxury markets in the next 5 to 10 years. Currently, India is the world’s fourth-largest economy and one of the largest consumers of gold jewelry globally. If BVLGARI or another global brand could capture 15% of the Indian market, wow, that would be massive! Like China, India has a huge population, and an increasing number of educated people are securing well-paying jobs.”
Above: BVLGARI’s antique jewelry and watch collections featured in the exhibition
“Whatever Happens, We Are Ready”
When discussing how BVLGARI has adapted to declining foot traffic in retail stores in 2024, Babin highlighted that the most challenging yet rewarding effort was transforming the mindset around sales.
He observed that sales staff today tend to wait in the store for customers to inquire about a specific product: “But doing this only supplies a product; it isn’t truly selling a product. True selling means salespeople proactively find customers first.”
Over the past year, BVLGARI has invested in providing deeper personal training and incentives for its sales staff, employing various methods to establish more direct connections with customers.
“If customers don’t come to us, then we must go to them,” Babin said. “Whatever happens, we are ready. In 2025, our sales staff will be better prepared to handle reduced foot traffic because they have learned how to approach customers proactively and sell via mobile phones.”
In closing, Babin admitted that he is a very optimistic person. He emphasized that as CEO, conveying positive energy is essential: “The worst thing is to accept the status quo. However, if you refuse to do so and work to find one alternative after another, you may restore energy, rebuild confidence and trust, and manage to get things back on track.”
Above: BVLGARI’s Serpenti high jewelry and watch collections featured in the exhibition
“You Can’t Ignore the Chinese Market Beyond Physical Stores”
“China has been an important market for BVLGARI over the years,” Babin summarized when discussing the Chinese market. “Although last year, the performance of the Chinese market caught the industry a bit off guard, I find it hard to believe that Chinese consumers have completely lost interest in luxury goods.”
He added: “In the current economic climate, people naturally tend to be more cautious with their spending. When you feel uncertain about the future, you’re more likely to save money rather than spend it. Keep in mind, if you spend 10–15% less than usual, it creates a massive shock for the luxury market. However, the year after, when you regain confidence in the economic environment and increase spending by 15%, the luxury market will soar.”
Above: BVLGARI’s Serpenti jewelry and watch collections featured in the exhibition
“China’s GDP grew by about 5% last year. If this were Italy, people would celebrate for a week because the last time Italy saw 5% GDP growth was 40 years ago,” Babin said, expressing confidence in the Chinese market.
“Every country goes through economic cycles. For a new generation of Chinese consumers, this is their first experience of an economic downturn, so the psychological impact is greater. While people often say the economic environment is bad, the truth is that Chinese residents increased their savings last year. I believe a real crisis is when savings decrease, not increase.”
Holding this culturally rich exhibition at the start of the Year of the Snake not only demonstrates BVLGARI’s emphasis on the Chinese market but also reflects the brand’s long-term commitment to investing in this region.
When discussing BVLGARI’s strategic priorities in China for 2025, Babin emphasized that the brand would focus more on developing e-commerce channels rather than opening new stores.
Currently, BVLGARI operates 53 boutiques across 32 cities in China. Babin believes this network of physical stores is sufficient: “Opening and maintaining 200 stores in China would be unprofitable—we all know that. So, we can only open boutiques in major cities and rely on e-commerce channels to offer the same product assortment.”
Above: BVLGARI’s flagship store at Shanghai Plaza 66
“E-commerce channels are excellent for bringing luxury brands to every corner of China. Through online platforms, we can reach cities that don’t yet have luxury shopping malls. Many people in these cities want to purchase luxury goods but only have opportunities to shop during trips to Beijing or Shanghai—perhaps once a year or even once every three years.”
In addition to strengthening BVLGARI’s official website and WeChat mini-programs, the brand has partnered extensively with platforms like Tmall and JD.com. “We enter these platforms with our brand identity intact. We don’t sell products to them; we use them as department stores to sell through, paying them a commission. This way, customers remain BVLGARI customers.”
Babin revealed that leveraging e-commerce channels, especially high-traffic platforms like Tmall and JD.com, has been highly effective for BVLGARI:
“Like many brands, BVLGARI experienced sales declines in China last year, mainly from our stores in major cities. However, through e-commerce, we achieved growth in smaller cities where we don’t have physical stores, offsetting some of the declines in larger cities.”
He stressed: “If you want to be a brand truly rooted in the Chinese market, you absolutely cannot ignore the ‘other half’ of the Chinese market beyond physical stores.”
| Image Credit: Provided by BVLGARI
| Editor: Elisa
