Remember, desi girl Priyanka Chopra was recently spotted in Jaipur, looking chic as ever, entering a cafe opposite the majestic Hawa Mahal? We’ve now learnt that she was shooting for a campaign for the Italian luxury house, Bvlgari, as their global brand ambassador.
Amidst multiple letdowns from international luxury brands failing to extend due credit for their India-inspired designs, Bvlgari has done something right.
Credit: Bvlgari
Famous for their exquisite gemstones, the brand’s new film has Priyanka Chopra as its face and Jaipur at its heart. They’re seen navigating the endless hues and heritage of Jaipur with the brand’s creative director, Lucia Silvestri, who says that she first came to Jaipur in 1987 and has been in awe of the city ever since. Clearly, her association is not surface level, and this film is not an aesthetic appropriation, which is what most international brands turn to India for.
Credit: Bvlgari
Awestruck by the blue and white detailing in the Chhavi Niwas in City Palace, Lucia says, “You know when I see this, I immediately imagine a cabochon blue sapphire surrounded by diamonds and mother pearls. So I like to take inspiration from places like this.”
Calling Jaipur a living tribute to colours, the film celebrates Jaipur as home to centuries-old techniques, extraordinary craftsmanship, and a kaleidoscopic palette of rubellites, emeralds, tourmalines, and sapphires. It dabbles into the journey of these colourful stones, discerningly chosen in Jaipur and taken to Rome, where they take the final shape, becoming a true masterpiece.
View this post on Instagram
Credit: Instagram/priyankachopra
At a time when international luxury labels like Prada are “pretending” to honour their source of inspiration only after an online furore, instead of actually crediting or compensating the source community, the Bvlgari film felt honest and emotional. Emotional because it honours colours, in contrast to the preferred monochromatic, minimalist, and neutral aesthetic long-honoured by the West.
Credit: Bvlgari
With minimalist architecture and ‘old-money’ style (muted tones,basically) engulfing the TikTok generation, colours started fading from our lives. But India lives and breathes colours, be it through her festivals or art forms, and to exclude them from luxury and lifestyle reeks of classism and suggests cultural bias.
Bvlgari and Priyanka Chopra’s tribute to India is different. It’s heartfelt, and hence, we felt like highlighting it.