henomenal. No other word begins to describe Bvlgari’s Manifattura in Valenza. Spanning 33,000 square metres, it is the largest single-brand jewellery manufacturing site in the world and almost a village in itself, with workshops, a restaurant, the Bvlgari Jewelry Academy where staff are trained and the publicly accessible Scuola Bvlgari jewellery school, set to become a valuable source of future talent.

The project springs from an objective to double production capacity by 2029 while passing on artisanal skills and expertise. The site, which will ultimately employ 1,600 people, is also designed as a benchmark for social responsibility, sustainability and complete traceability of raw materials throughout the production process. Since January 2022, for all its jewellery, Bvlgari has only used gold from sources that are certified to Responsible Jewellery Council Chain of Custody standard — one of the industry’s strictest.

During our tour of the extended facilities, we met Corinne Le Foll, Director of Bvlgari’s jewellery and high jewellery division. Le Foll is certainly no stranger to the sector. Having built a solid career at Cartier, where she spent more than 20 years, then at the helm of Dinh Van, she left Paris, the capital of French jewellery, for Rome where she now contributes to shaping Bvlgari’s future. In her new role, Le Foll tells us she has responsibility for “everything that is directly related to jewellery, whether that is creation, sourcing gemstones, marketing or production in our workshops in Rome and Valenza.” Working closely with Lucia Silvestri, Bvlgari’s gemmologist and creative director, she defines the House’s priorities.

Corinne Le Foll, Director of Bvlgari’s Jewellery and high jewellery division.

Europa Star Jewellery: What motivated your move to Bvlgari and what fundamental differences did you find on taking up your new position?

Corinne Le Foll: I’ve been involved in the jewellery sector for the past 25 years and, having worked at Cartier and Dinh Van, Bvlgari came as an opportunity to further this experience. It was the natural choice. I would say Bvlgari occupies a unique place. This is Italian jewellery, which is very different from the French jewellery I’ve known so far. As a French national and someone with a passion for jewellery, it’s a fabulous adventure to take the head of Bvlgari’s jewellery and high jewellery division.

You mention the difference between French and Italian jewellery, in particular Bvlgari. What is this difference, exactly?

The first thing I did was delve into the archives and explore Bvlgari’s wonderfully rich heritage. We have the good fortune that so many drawings and sketches have been conserved. Once you start looking at the House’s history, you realise how special it is. Bvlgari stands apart for its mix of boldness and immense creativity, evidenced by forms as well as colours. French high jewellery in the 1940s and 1950s was predominantly white, except during the war when jewellers turned to yellow gold, whereas Bvlgari has always called on a much broader range of typologies and combinations of stones compared with other jewellers. Our signatures are colour, warmth and supple, curved structures as opposed to more aggressive constructions. Cabochons are another of our hallmarks. They lend impact, introducing larger volumes though with a certain softness.

Which areas have you been focusing on since your appointment in September 2024?

Creation and the duo that Lucia Silvestri, Jewelry Creative and Gems Buying Director, and I form. This is what makes my job so interesting and one of the reasons I joined Bvlgari.

It’s rare in the jewellery sector to meet someone with your dual competencies in marketing and operations management. What have your first projects been?

It’s important that we continue to propose new creations, new explorations of colour and ways to wear jewellery while respecting the House’s heritage and identity. It’s a question of balance, of innovation that is mindful of what Bvlgari is: a singular brand. Hence my focus for the next few years will be on the elements that make Bvlgari unique, namely a carefully curated mix of jewellery tradition and an avant-garde spirit. This is something we must express more than ever as we are not the only ones in in the industry. Our clients are increasingly knowledgeable and have certain expectations. We also intend to spark a wider conversation about what Bvlgari stands for, its values, and the manufacturing facilities can contribute to this.

Bvlgari’s Manufattura in Valenza. Spanning 33,000 square metres, it is the largest single-brand jewellery manufacturing site in the world.

What are those values?

Values of sharing, tradition, passing on expertise, environmental values, too. Bvlgari is at the forefront of environmental protection and has been for a long time. We were the first to achieve Responsible Jewellery Council Chain of Custody certification across our supply chain.

You were appointed a few months before the extension to the Manifattura was announced. What does it feel like to have a production resource of this calibre?

Enormous pride, a lot of pressure and great responsibility. This extension makes Valenza the largest single-brand jewellery manufacturing facility in the world. The site, which is up and running, is home to traditional jewellery-making techniques as well as innovative methods. This is also where skills are passed down. 2017 saw the opening of the Bvlgari Jewelry Academy inside the original manufacturing site in Valenza. Every new employee spends four months there, training in the skills and to the level of expertise Bvlgari requires.

How is the academy different from the school, which opened at the same time as the extension?

The academy is reserved for Bvlgari newly hired employees. The people who come to the academy already have experience in jewellery, to varying degrees. They learn the techniques that are specific to Bvlgari and perfect their expertise. Scuola Bvlgari, on the other hand, is open to everyone and takes a broader approach. We are in the process of selecting the first students who will be inducted this coming September. This is the first time a jewellery school has been housed inside a manufacturing facility. It was created in partnership with Tarì Design School (TADS), a highly regarded institution to the north of Naples. Students graduate with an Italian state- and government-recognised diploma and are free to go and work for whoever they like.

Another of the Manifattura’s objectives is to double production by 2029. Are there enough artisans to provide the expertise this will require?

Yes and Bvlgari’s role will be to train them, which is why the academy and the school were created. Obviously Scuola Bvlgari will be a place to recruit fresh talent. It’s a long-term project. Rome wasn’t built in a day and nor do we expect to double production capacity overnight. We will have time to recruit and train the staff to accompany this growth.

Divas Dream and Serpenti Viper rings, Divas Dream earrings, Serpenti Viper and Tubogas bracelets.

What are your medium-term goals?

That we should increasingly adopt a “one brand” approach and convey the same vision of the brand across all our product categories. Today’s clients are interested in what Bvlgari has to say. How do we see the world? What subjects matter to us, beyond the latest collection? But jewellery remains the main category, hence the extension to the manufacturing site in Valenza. Our growth objectives for jewellery over the coming years will cement our position as a leader in this market.

You moved to Rome with your family in September 2024. What are your impressions of the city?

Rome and Bvlgari are intrinsically connected. Bvlgari is Rome. The quality of light, the architecture, the mix of influences and cultures are an endless source of inspiration that you don’t find in French jewellery, at least not to the same extent. They say Paris and Rome are the two most beautiful cities in the world. I’m a Parisian but I’ve fallen in love with Rome. Wherever you look, there is beauty.

Bzero.1 and Serpenti Viper rings

How would you define Italian chic?

Extremely elegant but completely natural. Sophisticated but never stiff or pretentious.

If you had to choose one piece that captures the essence of Bvlgari, what would it be?

The one that springs to mind is a Tubogas necklace set with coloured gemstones. There are many examples in our archives. These are very beautiful, immensely creative designs. Adding precious stones to a form borrowed from industry was a bold move. We still craft Tubogas necklaces as high jewellery unique pieces. They are emblematic of Bvlgari.

Define Bvlgari in less than ten words.

Bold, the art of colour, volumes… and joy!