Rewrite The Future

As part of the initiatives scheduled for 2009 to celebrate the 125th anniversary of its foundation, Bulgari has chosen to support the ‘Rewrite the Future’ campaign of the Save the Children organization.

Through the ‘Rewrite the Future’ campaign Save the Children is committed to providing within 2010 quality education to 8 million children living in conflict-affected areas.

Bulgari has decided to make its own contribution to Save the Children with the objective of raising US$13 million by the end of 2009, of which more than US$1 million will be donated by Bulgari to the organization in advance, while the remaining figure will be raised during the next year.

The symbol par excellence of Bulgari’s commitment alongside Save the Children – and a tribute to the silversmith origins of Sotirio Bulgari, the company’s founder – will be a silver ring specially created for the campaign and featuring the Save the Children logo engraved inside.

The ring will be on sale from 1 February to 31 December 2009 in all Bulgari stores throughout the world, in some selected department stores, and on Bulgari’s e-commerce website, active in the United States, at the price of US$290 (including VAT) of which US$60 will be donated to the campaign.

Besides the ring, to mark the occasion Bulgari will also develop a collection of 15 pieces of high jewelry and 8 high-end timepieces, of an estimated total value of nearly US$4 million. It will be officially presented on 4 June 2009 in Rome, on occasion of the retrospective exhibition ‘Between Eternity and History’, hosted at the Palazzo delle Esposizioni, to celebrate the 125 years of the Bulgari brand.

This collection of jewels and watches will then be present at high-profile Bulgari events throughout the world – ultimately becoming the leading player of an auction that will be held on 7 December 2009 in New York and whose proceeds will be totally donated to Save the Children.

All the initiatives connected with the operation will be totally non-profit for the Bulgari Group.

The numerous celebrities of the world of films, show business, and music who, thus far, have decided to support the initiative include, among many others, Julianne Moore, Benicio Del Toro, Ben Stiller, Sally Field, Sting, Willem Dafoe, Rosario Fiorello, Gabriele Muccino, Jason Lewis, Andy Garcia, Valeria Golino, Fabrizio Ferri.

“For Bulgari, being part of history and at the same time being able to help change it by giving less fortunate people the possibility of a new future is the best possible way of celebrating its 125 years. I am therefore really delighted that the company is actively working on the success of the “Rewrite the Future” campaign – a project consistent with the commitment Bulgari has decided to make to initiatives aiding youth education throughout the world. I am also convinced that, thanks to the help of our customers and Save the Children supporters, we will succeed in achieving – and hopefully in exceeding – the ambitious target we have set ourselves,” says Francesco Trapani, Chief Executive Officer of the Bulgari Group.

“We are very pleased to announce this global partnership with Bulgari. Their commitment and support for education is one of the most valuable ways to make a difference to children’s lives in war afflicted countries,” adds Charlotte Petri Gornitzka, Secretary General of the International Save the Children Alliance.

The group is also interested in acquisitions in the jewelry and accessory businesses, the newspaper said, adding that the overall acquisition outlay could be about 200 million euro.

‘Considering that in America and that also in the last months in Europe we have results, which we believe are very good, I am convinced 2006 can be a record year for sales and profits,’ Francesco Trapani said.

‘In the presence of a good selling season in the Christmas period we expect a growth on a like-for-like exchange rate basis of 10 pct,’ he said, referring to rises in net profit and sales.

On accessories and perfumes expansion, Bulgari intends to continue selective selling of these in dedicated outlets, he said, noting the wider market for these compared to jewelry and watches.

Bulgari has dedicated accessory and perfume outlets in Tokyo, Osaka, Washington, Seoul, and Shanghai, while in Italy, it intends to open an outlet in Florence in the next months and Rome in 2007, he said.

Overall sales will get a boost from restructuring of Bulgari’s shop in New York and expansion in Japan, while in the US, Boston and Dallas are locations for new openings ’soon’, he said.

In the US, Bulgari is considering opening in out-of-town shopping malls, he said, noting how these malls attract affluent consumers and other luxury brands are opening in these locations.