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52 vegasmagazine.com photography Courtesy of Bulgari (jewelry); david atlan (Bruni-sarkozy) from left: The Sparkling Hearts necklace from Bulgari's Italian Gardens Haute Joaillerie collection; a detail of the collection's Secret Garden necklace; Carla Bruni-Sarkozy. Carla Bruni-Sarkozy might have the most glamorous résumé on the planet: former supermodel and frst lady of France, best-selling rock star, and since 2013 the face of jet-set favorite Bulgari. "I love shooting pictures again," Bruni-Sarkozy says as she wraps a day's photography session for the Rome-based jeweler at a villa in the hills above Florence. "As a song- writer, you spend most of your time alone." Bruni-Sarkozy represents a most rarefed niche of modern celebrity (think Taylor Swift as an American presidential spouse for an idea of her unique fame), someone who has earned her superstar bona fdes in widely divergent Rock Garden Carla Bruni-Sa ozy, the face of Bulgari and gloBal glamour, talks aBout why the jeweler's latest dazzling collection has special meaning for her. by catherine sabino her best childhood memories, growing up in Turin, are con- nected with them. The new collection takes inspiration from Italy's land- scape splendor, specifcally the Renaissance garden conceits that infuenced horticultural style for centuries, says Lucia Silvestri, creative director for Bulgari. Intricate parterre and swirling fowerbed pat- terns defne a pavé necklace, Sparkling Hearts; another mas- terpiece, Magical Refection, pays homage to the water artistry of the terraces at Villa Lante, a Mannerist garden in central Italy, with faw- less pear-shaped diamonds. Renaissance gardens had their special hideaways, where the most exquisite fowers bloomed, which prompted Bulgari to create Secret Garden, a gem bouquet neck- lace with rubellite, tanzanite, citrine, and other vivid stones. For Bruni-Sarkozy jew- elry has always been much more than a luxury item. "It represents a world of feelings, and a little nostalgia, too," she says, recalling gifts given to her by her family and husband, as well as the care she took to fnd the right pieces for state occa- sions while frst lady of France. "Jewelry is always related to special moments in life." As for her favorite gem, Bruni- Sarkozy says that she likes both diamonds and colored stones, then adds with a wink, "Even if you're a woman and not a girl anymore, diamonds are your best friend. It's a good title for a song, actually. I should write it, don't you think?" The Shops at Crystals, 702-583-4747; bulgari.com V arenas. While very much the modern woman juggling a megawatt career, high-profle spouse (rumored to have his eye on the Élysée Palace again), and children, she comes across more as thought- ful artiste than boldfacer and is quick to express a distinct appreciation for the aesthetics of Europe's lavish past. Bruni- Sarkozy once mused that if she could go back in time, it would be to Florence during the days of the Medici, which makes her third campaign for Bulgari, Italian Gardens, the name of the jewelry house's latest Haute Joaillerie line, a particu- larly resonant one. "Gardens are one of the most beautiful things mankind has created," she says, noting that many of When Robyn Manzini, pResident of the Girl scouts of southern nevada, was living in the paris suburb of neuilly-sur-seine (coincidentally during the mayoral tenure of nicolas sarkozy), her italian husband introduced her to bulgari, and she fell in love. "it was chunky and different, and also feminine," and steeped in european tradition. "but at the time, it was purely aspirational." now an avid collector, she and her husband celebrate milestones with visits to the boutique in the shops at Crystals, where they forged a fruitful friendship with general manager Michael dipasquale and sales associate Maja stankovic: this year marked the third time the brand has donated a signifcant gift—a watch from its Lucea collection—to the Girl scouts' dessert before dinner beneft. Manzini's favorite bulgari item? a rose- and white-gold watch from the bulgari bulgari collection with a jeweled mother-of-pearl dial, a gift from her husband for her 50th birthday. "i just have to look down at my wrist," she says, "to have a beautiful memory every day." // local love // a fruitful friendship First inspiration: The Gardens of Ninfa (often referred to as "the most romantic gardens in the world") near Rome. collection size: 100 pieces. showstopper: Blue Iridescence with 187 carats of large blue sapphires. Multitasker: The sapphire and diamond Water Symphony (shown above) can also become a brooch and bracelet. hardest geM to source at the preMiuM level: "Rubies. We can find 20 diamonds that are internally flawless at 10 carats to every one ruby of that quality and weight." big geMs and high-tech: "With diamonds there's a lot of technology; with colored gems the sensi- bility and the experience of the owner or the cutter are very important." TENDING THEIR GARDEN Lucia Silvestri, Bulgari's creative director, gives us the scoop on crafting the Italian Gardens collection: style Celebration