Bulgari hopes CIIE will facilitate mutual appreciation and inspiration among diverse cultures

"We are delighted to participate in the China International Import Expo (CIIE). It offers opportunities to the world and serves as a common platform for mutual understanding and exchanges among different cultures and companies," Jean-Christophe Babin, CEO of Italian luxury brand Bulgari, said in an interview at the sixth CIIE held in east China's Shanghai.

Jean-Christophe Babin, CEO of Bulgari.

Steeped in profound Roman culture, Bulgari hopes the CIIE's role as a platform for people-to-people and cultural exchanges can deepen integration of the oriental and Western cultures and contribute to mutual appreciation and inspiration among diverse cultures, according to Babin.

As a regular at the CIIE, Bulgari arranged its booth at the sixth CIIE under the theme "East Meets West", presenting a brand new perspective on cultural exchanges through creative communication between two Chinese and Italian contemporary artists, immersive AI interactions, and previews of its capsule collection of Serpenti Forever handbags.

"Cultural values, appreciation for art and architecture, as well as the attachment to family, among other factors, bond Eastern and Western cultures closely together," said Babin, who believes that the core of the theme, "East Meets West", is about creating emotional connections.

Photo shows Bulgari's exhibition booth, themed "East Meets West", at the sixth China International Import Expo held in east China's Shanghai.

At Bulgari's exhibition booth, outstanding works of art by Chinese artist Qiu Anxiong and Italian artist Giuseppe Lo Schiavo were displayed as a vivid interpretation of harmonious cultural integration between China and Italy.

In addition, an AI-empowered art installation in the booth captures users' brain waves and heartbeats as they observed the artworks, and then translated their waves of thought into unique digital artworks. By scanning a QR code with their mobile phones, visitors can permanently save the digital works of art based on their own minds.

"China has taken deep root in my heart," said Babin, who has visited China many times.

Photo shows artworks of Chinese and Italian artists in Bulgari's exhibition booth, themed "East Meets West", at the sixth China International Import Expo held in east China's Shanghai.

On the first day of the sixth CIIE, Bulgari signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the management committee of Haikou Comprehensive Bonded Zone in Haikou, capital of south China's Hainan Province, on establishing its operating base there.

Leveraging the favorable policies offered by the Hainan Free Trade Port and the Haikou Comprehensive Bonded Zone, the operating base is expected to provide logistics services and after-sales maintenance services covering various parts of the country.