“My surname includes a key word,” says Giorgio Bargiani. “I always say that my career was already predetermined.” He’s half joking but as anyone who knows him will attest, he’s absolutely spot-on. He’s referring to that all-important first syllable; those three little letters which together have had a huge impact – not just as a place of work for him but the industry where he’s built his impressive career.
As Assistant Director of Mixology at London’s iconic Connaught Bar, Giorgio is one of the most influential drinks mavens on the global bar scene. That’s not just our opinion, he’s got the much-coveted International Bartender of the Year plate from Tales of the Cocktail Spirited Awards to prove it. Then, there are the numerous trophies in recognition of the team and the lushness of the bar itself.
But perhaps even more important than the awards is what we call the ‘Giorgio Effect’, which translates into his unwavering attention to detail, the passion for his craft and his ability to combine five-star hospitality with a light, friendly and humorous touch. And don’t get us started on his winning ways with a Martini… Yes, watching him make one at your table in the Connaught Bar is a thing of sheer beauty and joy but check his socials and you’ll see him throwing his trademark drink in the most unexpected places but always served straight up with style. And his customary smile.
All of which makes him the perfect person to collaborate with NUDE Glass on its second bartender collection in five years. And of course, there’s that surname… “Over the years, my name has been a blessing and a curse, but in this instance my surname felt so natural and appropriate,” he continues. “So for the collection we split the name which conveniently has the word ‘bar’ in it. It’s a nice way to round off the collection, and obviously an amazing feeling to have my name on a glassware collection.”
With that little intro taken care of, may we introduce you to the NUDE Bar/Giani Collection, comprising four glasses (Bar/Giani Martini Glass; Bar/Giani Cocktail Glass Long; Bar/Giani Cocktail Glass Short; Bar/Giani Cocktail Glass Long Stem) and the Bar/Giani Mixing Glass.
It’s Giorgio’s first foray into design, so we couldn’t wait to find out more.
THE PARTNERSHIP…
How and when did the collaboration with NUDE Glass come about?
NUDE approached me in autumn 2023 to discuss their second mixologist-designed collection. They wanted someone experienced who had worked in bars and could understand what bartenders and drinkers appreciate and need, and what’s missing in the market. It’s like asking a chef to design cookware, it makes sense, since they know all the technicality that goes into developing a tool and they know what the needs of the end user are. Obviously for me it was an incredible opportunity: designing a glassware line to elevate the drinking experience.
What did you know about the brand before you were approached about the project?
I knew the brand well – we use some of their glassware at the Connaught Bar and I’ve used it across a variety of outlets around the world when hosting events. Plus, the NUDE x Savage collection was a very exciting launch back in 2020. However, I wasn’t aware that NUDE is part of Pasabahçe, which is obviously a very well-known brand, not just for bars but restaurants too, especially their wine glasses. This has added credentials and trust to our collaboration.
What was it that appealed to you about designing the collection?
What really appealed to me was the fact I could put my ideas and name to a tangible object – not just a cocktail recipe or a cocktail menu, but something you can touch and drink from – it’s like a piece of me travelling all over the world to whichever bars or home the glassware will be used in. I think of it as putting my stamp on all of those cocktails, and hopefully providing vessels that cocktail makers have needed but didn’t exist before.
THE BRIEF…
What was the brief given to you?
The brief was to create a glassware collection for cocktail making that expresses my own cocktail style but could also be functional and versatile for bartenders and cocktail lovers all over the world.
What brief did you give yourself?
I was extremely conscious from the start that this collection wouldn’t only be used in London, or even the UK, but all over the world, and the style of bar and mixology would vary hugely. For example, the collection wouldn’t just be used in hotel bars, or one type of cocktail bar, it needed to be versatile and also cater for as many bartenders and environments as possible. So personalisation is at the core of the collection – not everyone will make a Martini cocktail the way I do, they may not even be looking to make one because they work in a beach bar in a tropical climate. Cocktails change from season to season, you might be in an aperitivo bar on the Amalfi Coast or a Tiki Bar in the US – this glassware collection is designed for the bartender to express their own style of mixology and elevate the guest experience regardless of where they work.
THE PROCESS…
Tell us about the various stages and processes that you were part of? How did you approach designing the collection and what research did you have to undertake?
First, we landed on the glasses I wanted to make, and I immediately knew there had to be a Martini cocktail glass in the collection! Then, I started thinking about coupettes, some sort of high-ball, an Old-Fashioned or a Sour glass.
With this versatility in mind, I started to research glassware from the 1950s, 60s and 70s – glassware that celebrated that aperitivo moment – specifically drinks like the Negroni and Campari Soda.
Then, I had a vision of the Roaring Twenties and those incredible parties where people would always be holding a Champagne or Martini glass – so glamorous and iconic. Lastly, I thought about tropical drinks, Daquiris, Piña Coladas, Missionary Downfalls, those kind of drinks which not many people know I am very fond of, how could I design something that would work for those too?
This culminated in the initial sketches that I submitted, and that’s when NUDE’s expertise and technical know-how really came into play. They have so much experience in the design and manufacturing process, so this is where they took over and started to advise on how to bring the glasses to life.
From the initial sketches came the revised designs with details about the height and thickness of the glass stem in proportion to the size of the bowl and the weight of the cocktail. Everything has to be so finely tuned to ensure it can be produced large scale and used day-to-day.
The most exciting part was seeing the 3D samples, which meant I could start to test the capacity, shape and weight of the products. And then the really fun part where I received the actual glass samples and trialled what felt like a thousand different cocktails and methods. There are so many things to take into consideration, like whether the glass can withstand the freezer, how it feels to hold or to throw from? After several iterations, we finally landed on the designs that worked best across all of these really important aspects.
How many iterations of your designs did you go through before refining the final collection?
We saw at least three different sets of drawings, followed by the same number of 3D models, and then two iterations of the final glass designs. All in all, the whole process took about 12 months.
THE INSPIRATION…
Did you have anyone in mind when designing the collection?
For me, it’s always about bartenders and their guests. So how I see bartenders creating cocktails and how I see people holding glasses, looking at glasses, get excited about glasses etc – these ideas guided me throughout the designing part.
I like to think that this glass collection is like a set of blank pages, where people, ie. the bartenders, can write their own story with their cocktails. These pages should be good quality paper and easy to write on, but also facilitate the creation of something that makes a drink look beautiful and personal every time.
THE FIRST THOUGHTS…
Who was the first person you showed the completed collection to and why?
I first showed it to some of my closest collaborators and friends, including Ago Perrone, Director of Mixology at the Connaught Bar and Laura Grassulini, PR, consultant and friend, because we always support and advise each other in everything we do. We’ve worked together on so many projects over the years and they both have an unbeatable knowledge and understanding of the sector this glassware was being designed for. Their thoughts and perspective have been of incredible help.
And which glass did you use first and what did you drink in it?
Well, the Martini cocktail glass! The Martini is the signature cocktail of the Connaught Bar and I’ve made it numerous times, so of course I had to celebrate with that to start with.
THE LEARNINGS…
What were your greatest learnings from undertaking this project?
Everything takes time and so much coordination between different professionals. Creating a product, especially glassware, needs so much patience and a rigorous design and testing process. Twelve months feels pretty impressive to create four glasses, but the result is a versatile and intentional collection that can be used around the world by many different types of bars.
What have you enjoyed most about the project?
This has been such a learning process and what I’ve enjoyed the most for sure is the designing and learning, diving into something I’d never done before. And glass is such a fascinating material, it’s so powerful yet also so temperamental – it’s been a real experience to see this from the outset. And of course, collaborating with so many different teams of people has been very rewarding.
Do you look and appreciate glassware in a different way since designing the collection?
I’ve always appreciated glassware since starting out in the industry – working in a bar, glasses are your best friends, they’re the things you interact most with on a daily basis. As soon as I was taught how to polish glassware, I started spotting fingerprints everywhere I went. To me, that just feels like an artwork that’s been spoiled. And of course, working in the industry, I am always inquisitive. I can never just drink from a glass I like without checking for a logo to see where it’s from. That’s why all the vintage glasses caught my eye at the beginning of the design process, so many glasses today look the same. There’s a shift towards minimalism that we seem to follow in the bar world, so the Bar/Giani collection is my way of trying to provoke a new wave of design that is more individual.
