How Cartier Embodies Bianca Brandolini's Soul

PHOTOGRAPHY Emma Panchot

STYLING Filomena Perron

With elegance and sober refinement, Bianca Brandolini, 37, embodies simple and timeless beauty. As a Cartier ambassador for more than 10 years, she has an intimate relationship with jewelry. "I grew up seeing the women in my family pay particular attention to jewelry. They wore it as an extension of their personality," she says. She recalls being fascinated by the outsize earrings and necklaces that transformed the ordinary into extraordinary. For Brandolini, jewels are not only ornaments. They are fragments of the soul: witnesses of shared stories and emotions engraved in gold and precious stones.

This love for jewelry is reflected in Brandolini’s relationship with Cartier, a maison she describes as “the ultimate expression of a particular moment… A dream that becomes reality.” Her first meeting with the brand was for the inauguration of Cartier in New York, “when I had the opportunity to wear the crocodile that the house had created for the Mexican actress María Félix in 1975.” The jewel carries the story of a great actress and a bygone era. Through it, Brandolini was able to touch the enduring beauty that distinguishes Cartier: to revive the past by illuminating the present. For Brandolini, wearing a Cartier jewel is much more than a gesture. Her first Cartier piece, the Pasha watch, was given to her on her sixteenth birthday. "I remember the red box," she says with a sweet, nostalgic note. The watch was the beginning of a long friendship with the house.

"Cartier pieces are dazzling, the designs sublime, and the mix of stones unique."

"I find that the Cartier pieces are dazzling, the designs sublime, and the mix of stones unique, like [the] ‘Tutti Frutti.’" Brandolini says the pieces perfectly articulate around the body, following its curves without ever forcing it, making even the most imposing pieces light and comfortable to wear. “A Cartier necklace can be made into a brooch and two bracelets, for example.” This versatility, this art of transformation, is for her the quintessence of Cartier’s savoir-faire. At the time of our meeting, surrounded by the maison’s many treasures, Brandolini seemed in natural harmony with the pieces she wore. I could feel this intimate connection with the creations, as if they were custom-made for her. "Cartier dresses women like no other, making me feel feminine, strong, and special," she says. As I leave the private Cartier salons, I think of Bianca Brandolini as a woman whose elegance goes beyond appearances, whose beauty lies in authenticity, a woman who lives every moment with a presence that transcends fashions and trends. 

Le Savior Faire

Since its founding in 1847, the Cartier house has defined a bold and recognizable style, thanks to its artistic approach and attention to detail. Cartier’s iconic design elements and aesthetic principles are demonstrated in its "Markers of Style," a collection that celebrates the motifs that have visually defined the brand, such as the panther, Art Deco–inspired geometric lines, and others that exude sophistication and simplicity. The art of setting, the precision of cutting stones, and the rigorous choice of materials are proof of an exceptional savoir-faire that transforms each creation into a symbol of refinement.

Cartier’s recent collection, "Nature Sauvage," draws inspiration from the world of animals and vegetables and vividly explores the richness of organic shapes and textures. Majestic creatures like the panther, the elephant, the butterfly, and the crocodile are transformed into bold, vibrant jewels. Cartier’s expertise goes beyond the simple technique: its works tell a story, each with its own character and intent. For Italian model Bianca Brandolini—whose father is from an ancient Venetian aristocratic family of Forlì origins, said to have been founded in the 6th century, and whose mother is Princess Georgina Maria Natividad de Faucigny-Lucinge et Coligny, a model who was a Valentino muse—wearing Cartier is a lifelong, deeply emotional experience. 

HAIR Hugo Raiah L’ATELIER 68
MAKEUP Louise Garnier TAG
PRODUCED BY Joshua Glasgow