What Lies Behind the Product

This is a short series on the Bulgari "Octo Velocissimo KEN OKUYAMA DESIGN Japan Limited Model" and "Octo Solotempo KEN OKUYAMA DESIGN Japan Limited Model," released in Autumn 2015. In the previous installment, we featured a dialogue with Ken Okuyama and others involved in the design. This time, we invited Fabrizio Buonamassa Stigliani, who oversaw the design, to provide a deeper understanding of the "Octo" philosophy.

Stigliani, Senior Director at Bulgari Watch Design Center, is an industrial designer active in various fields, including automobiles and furniture. Based in Neuchâtel, Switzerland, he pursues beauty in Bulgari watches, stating that Italian design philosophy lies at the heart of his products.

"First, let me preface this by saying that the 'Octo' possesses a unique and rare beauty. The Italian passion for creating beautiful things has continued uninterrupted since Roman times. Examples include the Colosseum and the Pantheon in Rome. From Giotto in the 13th century to the Italian Renaissance period centered around Michelangelo in the 16th century (though in Florence), magnificent architecture, sculpture, and paintings were created."

Is "Form Follows Function" True?

Bulgari was founded in Rome in 1884. To discuss its products, one must always consider the long history and the passion for beauty built by its predecessors. The fascinating aspect of Italy is that its power to create beauty has endured without fading, continuing to the present day.

"In modern times, numerous outstanding industrial designers have been active, such as Gio Ponti, Ettore Sottsass, Vico Magistretti, Joe Colombo, Achille Castiglioni, and Alessandro Mendini. In modern architecture, there are many notable works like the Pirelli Building in Milan, and in furniture design, Italian influence has been felt worldwide."

The famous saying, "form follows function," exists in the design world. However, Stigliani states that it does not apply to Italian design.

"While 'form follows function' is considered a profound statement by architect Louis Sullivan and is widely accepted in contemporary industrial design and architecture, it is not always true for Italian design."

Fabrizio Buonamassa Stigliani, who works on the "Octo" at Bulgari Watch Design Center, makes this significant statement as an Italian designer.

The Power of Italian Design

"Italian designers have consistently created remarkable works by ingeniously turning constraints to their advantage, without being bound by the dictate that 'form must follow function.' For example, the 'Mezzadro' (tractor seat) designed by Achille Castiglioni for Zanotta in 1957, assuming a limited budget, is a prime instance. He ingeniously mounted a tractor seat made of synthetic resin onto a single-legged, mushroom-shaped stool."

Stigliani, immersed in the design world and overseeing various fields as a director, speaks with a fluent narrative, recounting fragments of Italian design history.

"By utilizing an existing product, something considered one of the most mundane—a tractor seat—he masterfully created a beautiful stool. Castiglioni demonstrated that beauty can be created through repurposing, not just by making everything from scratch. I consider it a masterpiece of modern furniture. This kind of ingenuity is also the power of Italian design."

The Octo is a Miniature Architecture

"However, by understanding the philosophy that constitutes the beauty of the Colosseum, I am confident that we can shape a similar beauty into a watch form in a different way. This could be through proportions or the treatment of details. If we can identify what truly moves us, we can design products that evoke the same emotion. The Octo is a watch crafted with an aesthetic to move the soul."

Next time, an interview with Ken Okuyama, who designed the "Octo Velocissimo KEN OKUYAMA DESIGN Japan Limited Model" and "Octo Solotempo KEN OKUYAMA DESIGN Japan Limited Model."

The Essence of the BVLGARI OCTO
Bulgari "Octo" Recommended Models This Time

Fabrizio Buonamassa Stigliani
Senior Director, Bulgari Watch Design Center. Born in Naples, Italy, in 1971. Majored in Industrial Design at ISIA Rome. After graduating, joined the Fiat Style Center in Turin, Italy. Moved to Bulgari's watch design team in 2001. Appointed Director of Bulgari Watch Design Center in 2007, continuing to build his career.