The Greek Behind Bulgari - News - Greek Gateway - A Greek Entertainment WebsiteSunday, 24 May 2015 11:02

Sotirios Voulgaris (1857-1932) was the Greek creator of Bulgari, one of the world's mostfamous jewellery brands today.

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The Greek Behind Bulgari - News - Greek Gateway - A Greek Entertainment WebsiteSunday, 24 May 2015 11:02

Born in the Greek village of Kalarites in March of 1857, Sotirios began his career as a jewellerin his home village of  Paramythia (Epirus, Greece), his parents were George Voulgaris and Eleni Strougari.

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The Greek Behind Bulgari - News - Greek Gateway - A Greek Entertainment WebsiteSunday, 24 May 2015 11:02

Of the eleven children of the family, Sotiris Voulgaris was the only one who survived andmanaged to continue the family tradition. The passion with jewellery started from hisgrandfather Constantine, who was a street vendor in the villages of Epirus. The talent to createjewellery was inherited by Sotiris, who along with his father opened a jewellery shop inParamythia.

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The Greek Behind Bulgari - News - Greek Gateway - A Greek Entertainment WebsiteSunday, 24 May 2015 11:02

At that time, Paramythia and other villages in the region were facing problems from the Turks.Continuous burning of the village and serious damage to the shop, forced the Bulgari family tomove to Corfu and then to Naples, Italy.In Naples, the family opened their first gold jewellery shop. The city crime posed a majorproblem for their valuable jewellery. So, after several burglaries, they were forced to close.In 1881, Sotirios Voulgaris and his family moved to Rome. Three years later, in 1884, hefounded his company and opened his second shop in Via Sistina. The store in Via Sistina wasthen replaced by the current flagship store in Via dei Condottiopened in 1905 by Bulgari with the help of his two sons, Constantino (1889–1973) and Giorgio(1890–1966).After Giorgio's death in 1966, his son Gianni led the company as co-chief executive with hiscousin Marina. As chairman and CEO of Bulgari in the early 1970s. Bulgari opened its firstinternational locations in New York City, Paris, Geneva, and Monte Carloin the 1970s.  In 1984, Sotirio's grandsons Paolo and Nicola Bulgari were named Chairman andVice-Chairman of the company and nephew Francesco Trapani was named CEO. Trapani'sgoal to diversify the company was started in the early 1990s with the release of the Bulgariperfume line. Under Francesco's direction the company has established itself as a luxury goodsbrand recognized throughout the world.In 1995, the company was listed on the Borsa Italiana. The company had a 150% revenuegrowth between 1997 and 2003. On March 6, 2011 the French luxury group Louis Vitton announced that it was acquiring Bulgariin a lucrative deal for €4.3 billion ($6.01 billion), higher than LV had ever offered for any othercompany.Moreover, the Bulgari family sold their 50.4% controlling share in exchange for 3% of LVMH,thus making the Bulgari family the second-biggest family shareholder behind the Arnaults inLVMH.Lastly, a truly inspiring and amazing story that all started from the Greek drive, talent, anddetermination of Sotirios Voulgaris of Epirus, Greece.  THE "GRIKO" GREEKS OF ITALY. CLICK BELOW FOR PHOTOS + VIDEO!

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The Greek Behind Bulgari - News - Greek Gateway - A Greek Entertainment WebsiteSunday, 24 May 2015 11:02

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