LIGHT MODE
DARK MODE
What is design? Some call it the ‘functional' art form, where creativity and beauty strike a balance with use and user. When something pretty is also practical, it is often said to have been designed well. Design professionals consider design the ‘contamination,' in the best sense of the
The earth is sick: for some time now, human society has altered the balance of the environment. Now terms such as ‘global warming,' ‘icecap melting' and ‘deforestation' have, unfortunately, become part of everyday language. Has the world of fashion remained indifferent to our planet's agony? Certainly
After a long ‘Christmas break,' it is a pleasure to write my Style and the City column again! In these months I've had the chance to attend two important events in Italian fashion: the Pitti Filati trade fair last Janaury in Florence, which forecasted trends and textiles for
Fashion is about being beautiful, looking trendy and wearing amazing clothes. But all of this fabulousness comes with a hefty price tag that most of us just can't afford. Instead of being envious of celebs who always look straight off the pages of Vogue-think of the time
How many fashion designers can boast collaborators like writer and artist Jean Cocteau, surrealist painter Salvador Dalí and sculptor Alberto Giacometti? Clients like the Duchess of Windsor, Mae West, Marlene Dietrich and Katharine Hepburn? None, except Elsa Schiaparelli, affectionately known to all as ‘Schiap.' Between the late 1920s
Family, fame, feuding, passion, litigation and homicide. All the ingredients of a successful Hollywood soapie like are, instead, the backdrop to the story of one of Italy's best known luxury label clans: the Gucci family. The patriarch of this dynasty was Guccio Gucci. A native of Florence, Guccio was
Can a glamorous city style give you a feeling of escape? As the weather gets warmer and the Tuscan hills make us feel more free and summery, we need a style that makes us feel in close contact with nature. It may sound strange, but I recently found inspiration for
The great fashion designer Vivienne Westwood recently said in an interview that one of the causes of the world pollution is ‘garbage fashion', meaning the thousands of pieces that are thrown away every day in order to make room for the next collection in the store and the
Style and the City left Florence to attend Milan Fashion Week, showing off the best of Made in Italy for next fall. The love story of Milan and Italian fashion goes back to 1979, when the first fashion events were organized under the name of Milano Collezioni. Today, after
What could men like Al Capone, Winston Churchill, Harry Truman, Charlie Chaplin, Fred Astair, Humphrey Bogart, Ernest Hemingway, Frank Sinatra, Pope John XXIII and Robert Redford possibly have in ...
At the recent Paris shows, John Galliano presented his Dior collection with a silhouette inspired by the famous ‘New Look', first presented in 947 by fashion master Christian Dior himself. The outfit is composed of a very tight jacket similar to a bustier in its construction, paired with an
In 1992, Gianni Versace, the eclectic Italian fashion designer, purchased Casa Casuarina in South Beach, Miami, for $2.9 million. Constructed in 1930 and modelled after a residence built in Santo Domingo in 1510 by the son of Christopher Columbus, restoration of the house became Versace's obsession. Five years
A country’s culture is often ex-pressed by its language, and to fully enjoy the experience of living abroad it is important to know the specific terminology used in various sectors. ...
Over the past few weeks, while all the eyes of the fashion world were on Milan and its ready-to-wear fashion shows, I thought about how extremely rich Florence's fashion history is and the ‘holy communion' that Florence has with the most beautiful side of Made in
If fashion is just about covering ourselves, why is there so much noise around it? Can a piece of clothing really change the way we feel? According to the latest in the fashion world, just like a hot bath, a piece of good chocolate or a warm massage, wearing
Italy is recognized the world over as a producer of original, well-made, high-quality products. When we talk about ‘Made in Italy' we are usually referring to fashion, the most successful and-according to me, at least-the most delightful of the Italian industries. Lately, however, high costs
Though spring officially lasts until June 21, the world, and Florence in particular, is seeing its climate change drastically from winter to summer. Keep your ears open and you will hear everyone lamenting that the mezze stagioni (fall and spring) have virtually disappeared. More than a comment on the
By July 1943, it was obvious that Italy was facing imminent defeat by the Allies in World War II. In an attempt to mitigate the inevitable devastation and destruction, the Fascist Grand Council passed a vote of no confidence against Mussolini, removing him from government. Mussolini's foreign minister and
Florence is a city of the masters. Michelangelo, da Vinci, Dante, Vasari: the evidence of their capolavori is apparent in the buildings, the lines of tourists. Even the street names echo with the memories of great artists. Every street-corner display says Armani, Ferragamo, Versace, and Prada, and every other
This year’s Pitti Uomo, running from January 9 to 12, promises, as always, to wow the crowds with a mix of new and exciting trends from big name brands to new designers. Both established brands and new designers will be showcasing their collections at the biannual event,
I could have twirled for hours. I was wearing my favorite skirt, the one that spread out in a perfect circle from my waist when I spun around. It was powder blue cotton and I had picked it out myself. I wanted to be a dancer. That skirt was about
The first of the five Fendi sisters, Paola, entered the family business in 1946. She was soon joined by her other four sisters Carla, Anna, Franca, and Alda. They were following in the footsteps of their mother, Adele Casagrande who had opened a leather and fur store and workshop in&
