As the old saying goes, Rome wasn’t built in a day, and that is certainly an energy you can feel when walking the cobblestone streets of the ancient city. Centuries of memories have swept through it, like the Tiber river, it naturally grows in beauty with every passing moment. There are truly few places on earth with a richer culture than Rome. At its essence, Rome captures your emotions; it’s galleries are romantic, it’s museums are addictive, it’s doorways are mysterious, it’s cathedrals are luminous, it’s language is sensual and leaves your senses satisfied. And it’s these particular elements that Bulgari captured of Rome when creating their new fragrance, Goldea a Roman Night. And like the city, the scent envelops you. It is for this reason that I knew I wanted to share my Rome Bulgari vlog with all of you.
It was a profound honor to travel to Italy with Bulgari to experience such beauty, such value of heritage. Looking back, it felt more like I was learning about a family history, not a fashion house – they truly made us feel a part of the Bulgari Family. The three days were a once in a lifetime experience; to see, smell, taste and feel Rome through their eyes. We saw more of Rome’s hidden gems that I ever even knew existed. I was in a complete state of shock throughout the entire experience.
It was wonderful to learn how they chose each location we would visit – each one, as influential as the next when it came to creating the fragrance GOLDEA, A ROMAN NIGHT.
We started our journey in Trastevere, one of my favorite areas in Rome known for its narrow corridor, ancient buildings, cobblestone streets and classic Roman food. This is where we tasted the old Roman style.
After lunch, we experienced something truly magical – the oldest apothecary in the world, Santa Maria Della Scala Apothecary which was originally set up for the friars who cultivated the medicinal plants necessary for their health in the garden at the end of the seventeenth century, it soon became so famous that princes, cardinals and even doctors of the pontiffs began to visit. The Goldea fragrance embodied the hearty floral notes from centuries before it – luscious Mulbery and Black Peony.
From there, we visited the oldest public library in Rome, the Angelica Library, where dreams and visions of genius are born. Looking at the heart of the fragrance’s notes, we were shown the botanical textbooks and the original manuscripts of the famous Hortus Sanitatis from 1491 where the original essence of fragrances like blooming jasmine and tuberose were documented. Truly incredible.
We then visited the atelier of the famed sculptor, Hendrick Christian Anderson. It is this location that influenced “secret note” of the fragrance. And smelling it, it’s truly secret, you can pick up on the other notes of the fragrance that I’ve just described, but there is something more. Maybe it’s the essence of Romes art that they’ve captured.
Just when we thought we’d seen it all, we arrived at the Secret Garden of Villa Borghese. We entered the space through a secret door. Suddenly, we were in Cardinal Scipio’s private garden. Built between 1610 and 1633, this garden is where rare and exotic 16th-century flowers, like bulbous, are grown. Notes of black musk, patchouli heart, and vetiver create the sensualness of the fragrance. You can really feel the influence of the gardens in it.
Our last stop on the incredible journey was none other than the National Gallery of Modern and Contemporary Art. There, we would discover the essence of the pigment and see how the perfume gains its color. Up its monumental staircase, the doors of the museum were only open for a private viewing of their neoclassical gems. The statue of Hercules and Lichas of Antonio Canova and contemporary works – it was a viewing unlike any other. A visit that evokes and awakens the same senses as Goldea.
So without further ado, press play to join the Bulgari family and to discover Goldea, our unforgettable Roman Night!
