Bulgari launches its new exclusive-to-India design, the B.zero1 Kada Bracelet, inspired by the Indian traditional 'Kada', today. Jean-Christophe Babin speaks to Forbes India about its India plans
Jean-Christophe Babin, Bulgari, CEO
Global luxury brand Bulgari has launched the ‘B.zero1 Kada Bracelet’, which pays tribute to the ‘kada’, a traditional Indian bangle. This exclusive-to-India design is crafted in yellow gold and is an ode to India’s long-standing cultural affinity with precious metals and stones.
The bracelet has a statement design that represents a concept of moment, circularity and light through a spiral design. “The B.zero1 Kada bracelet is a jewel that embodies contemporary design and tradition at the same time, maintaining the consistency of the past reinterpreted in a contemporary form and with the same spirit of India, of yesterday and today,” says Jean-Christophe Babin, Bulgari CEO. Actor Ayushmann Khurrana has been roped in as ambassador for the bracelet.
The launch of the bracelet comes two years after the Bulgari mangalsutra was introduced, with Priyanka Chopra Jonas as its brand ambassador. Forbes India speaks to Babin about how the Indian market is different, Bulgari’s expansion plans in India and more. Edited excerpts:
Q. We've seen the Bulgari mangalsutra, and now the Kada. What makes India a strong market for the brand?
The Bulgari mangalsutra with Priyanka Chopra Jonas was a big innovation for the brand as we were pioneering in India, to crack the market. The Kada bracelet came from the same philosophy as the mangalsutra. It is made in yellow gold with a masculine statement and sturdy design deeply rooted into Indian traditions. The launch also shows our long-term commitment to India, which wasn’t a one-off with the mangalsutra. We realised very early on that you cannot treat India like any other market, since jewellery is rooted in its tradition. So far, Western luxury jewellery brands have not had major success in India.