Model Alexis SueAnn wears Bvlgari and Fiziwoo. Photographed on location in Siem Reap, Cambodia, by Bibo Aswan.
Jewels often draw from the eternal — much like fashion, which transcends fabric and form as it finds roots in the physical world, particularly in architecture. Nowhere is this relationship more evident than the temple heartland of Cambodia’s Siem Reap, where stone surfaces, weathered carvings and overgrown courtyards serve as historical records as well as invitations to reinterpret and reimagine. After all, the most powerful ideas often begin with a place. Check out our exclusive photoshoot with Bvlgari below:
Bayon belief
Beyond aesthetics, the very existence of Bayon Temple — constructed alongside the 900-year-old Angkor Wat as the new fortified Khmer capital — suggests a philosophy of longevity and meaning. Built to align with celestial movements and last through centuries, the structures, etched with a multitude of serene and smiling stone faces of Brahma, stand as both a monument to the past and a promise of the future. In much the same way, Bvlgari’s Aeterna High Jewellery collection urges the intrepid to experience eternity not as an abstract idea but something tangible — an emblem one can wear, witness and carry through generations, like a trusty time-teller.
High Jewellery Serpenti necklace in white gold with two pear emeralds and pavé-set diamonds; High Jewellery Serpenti Spiga watch in white gold set with 205 round brilliant cut diamonds, crown set with one cabochon sapphire on the dial; High Jewellery earrings in platinum with six round brilliant cut diamonds, 40 fancy shape diamonds and pavé-set diamonds; High Jewellery ring in platinum with one cut cornered rectangular diamond, 16 fancy shape diamonds and pavé-set diamonds. Songket dress and bolero jacket by Behati.
Shrine to shine
Inspiration emerges from the smallest details — the geometry of a lotus motif, the rhythm of columns and the quiet interplay of nature reclaiming the man-made. Ta Prohm, swallowed by the jungle, looks very much as it did when explorers first stumbled upon it. Just as the roots of the ancient trees wind their way over the temple walls, the craftsmanship of jewellery similarly weaves its own timeless narrative, with every curve and detail designed to endure.
B.Zero1 earrings, necklace, bracelet and ring; Serpenti Viper bracelets and necklace; Serpenti Cuore 1968 top handle bag. Printed pleated evening gown by Fiziwoo.
Chiselled charm
Ta Prohm — known to many as the ‘Tomb Raider temple’, immortalised by Oscar-winning actress Angelina Jolie striding through its vine-laced corridors — conveys more than just drama. A ring glinting beside a bas-relief with Apsara motif evokes not only theatrics but also divine beauty, echoing an era when adornment was a sacred gesture, not a seasonal trend. Swaying beside twisted fig roots, twinkling earrings and necklaces resemble less of the flourishes of fashion and more of the spoils of a lost empire, newly discovered.
Left: B.Zero1 earrings, rings, bracelet and necklace; Serpenti Viper bracelet; Serpenti Cuore 1968 top handle bag. Ombre gown by Alia Bastamam.
Right B.Zero1 earrings, rings, bracelet and necklace; Serpenti Viper bracelets and necklace. Songket button-up shirt and asymmetrical taffeta maxi skirt by Syomirizwa Gupta.
Gilded glory
The grounds of the Raffles Grand Hotel d’Angkor are a mood board in themselves — stone walls, colonial balconies draped in trailing bougainvilleas, long hallways where time stretches, and a vintage elevator that rises like a stage curtain. Opened in 1932 during the golden age of travel, the establishment has long served as a haven for dignitaries, royals and artists en route to the temples of Angkor. It stands for history, craftsmanship and quiet luxury — values all deeply aligned with the world of haute joaillerie.
Left: High Jewellery Serpenti necklace in yellow gold with onyx elements, 14 pear mandarin garnets, two buff -top emeralds and pavé-set diamonds; High Jewellery earrings in yellow gold with onyx elements, four oval mandarin garnets, two round diamonds and pavé-set diamonds; High Jewellery Serpenti bracelet in pink gold with one oval mandarin garnet, two buff -top emeralds and pavé-set diamonds; High Jewellery Serpenti bracelet in yellow gold with onyx elements, three oval mandarin garnets, two buff -top emeralds and pavé-set diamonds. Sweetheart strapless dress by Rizman Ruzaini.
Right: Serpenti Misteriosi Pallini watch in white gold set with 128 paraibas, two pear-shaped and 75 round emeralds and round brilliant cut diamonds; High Jewellery earrings in platinum with four pear emeralds, 10 cabochon emeralds, 12 buff -top emeralds and pavé-set diamonds; High Jewellery Serpenti necklace in white gold with onyx elements and 177 buff -top emeralds and pavé-set diamonds; High Jewellery ring in platinum with one emerald, 12 fancy shape diamonds and pavé-set diamonds. Off -the-shoulder crushed velvet dress by Stellarissa, available at Roéma Atelier.
Credits:
Photographer | Bibo Aswan
Assistant | Saiful Azwan
Stylist | Mughni Che Din
Assistant | Surya Ammari
Hair + Makeup | Shallee Lee
Model | Alexis SueAnn
Text + Coordination | Kong Wai Yeng
All accessories | Bvlgari
This article first appeared on Apr 21, 2025 in The Edge Malaysia.
