What: Bulgari’s 125th Anniversary Dinner celebrating the opening of its retrospective exhibition, ”Between History & Eternity: 1884-2009) and ”Rewrite The Future Campaign,” an initiative for Save the Children.
When: Wednesday, May 19
Where: The Castel Sant’ Angelo, Rome
Who: Jessica Alba, Selma Blair, Alain Delon, Ginnifer Goodwin, Gina Lollobrigida, Jason Lewis, Fern Mallis, Chloe Sevigny, Santo Versacé
Setting: Part one: Live orchestra plays greatest classical hits in the fortress’s grassy courtyard, which is outfitted with topiary and trays of antipasti. Waiters pass cocktails and fried mozzarella balls and zucchini. Rome’s doyennes float about ”ciao”-ing it up; young American starlets trickle in post-photo-op; Fabrizio Ferri’s ode to Bulgari — a black and white montage of celebs–plays on a mounted flat screen; Gina Lollobrigida sits on a chair as the bejewelled world passes by. Part two: A treacherous climb up cobble-stone steps and dicey inclines — a challenge for those in flats or heels, sober or drunk — leads to a stunning scene straight out of Bertolucci. Around the perimeter of the fortress, a narrow balcony holds buffet tables, few places to sit, many votive candles and verdant adornments. Late night, the DJs (allegedly three local young, hot ”it” actors) start spinning.
Libations: The usual Roman cocktail fare — straight-up bubbly or peachy bellini, red or white wine, sparkling or still water.
Dress Code: ”Cocktail Attire,” which here meant anything from Roman Grandma Chic (heavy make-up, glam skirt suits or mumus, big hair) to modern Italian chic (up-dos, designer mini-dresses or full length sylph-like gowns). The Italian men did what Italian men do best: suits. Lollogbrigida wore a caftan-inspired number of her own creation; Selma Blair was radiant in bedazzled bubble-gum pink Versace, and Chloë Sevingy went Grecian in a simple silvery Acne halter-necked shift that showed off, aptly, her bling. (She carried a tiny golden egg-shaped clutch, wrapped around her wrist with a teal tassel with room only for a lipstick.) Glittery gems, most of them Bulgari pieces brought out of the vault for the occasion or, in the case of the visiting Hollywood royalty, on loan for the night.
Overheard:
”Why don’t they make a party with some chairs?” — Gina Lollobrigida who had commandeered the one and only chair in sight.
“I’ve been eating too much pasta, eating, sleeping and loving.” — Selma Blair on how she has been spending time in Rome.
“This is one of those nights where you don’t visit the bathroom.” — Cameron Silver, noting that to do so would require a trip down the aforementioned stairs.
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