When Sotirio Bulgari opened his first store, he called it the “Old Curiosity Shopâ€, after Charles Dickens’ novel, and it was a quaint and clever name meant to seduce English and American clients coming to Rome. Now 113 years later, the theme has been modernised with a new space located next to the historic shop on 10 Via Condotti.
Nicknamed the “New Curiosity Shopâ€, it’s got all the trappings of a typical Bulgari store, with a Venini chandelier overlooking an interactive counter table at which customers can browse the glittering collections.
But it would be far more fun to explore the many drawers that line the walls, all stuffed with the brand’s luxurious “curiosâ€. The shop will also exhibit its own collected objets d’art, starting with pieces by Italian decorative arts company Fornasetti: a wooden hand-lacquered sideboard, a collection of mirrors, gold and china plates with astronomical motifs. If the whimsically decorated interiors aren’t enough to make you leave your online shopping cart behind, know that this is where you’ll find boutique exclusives such as a mini collection of the Condotti 10 jewellery and limited edition Serpenti watches.
No. 10 Via dei Condotti, Rome.
