Italian summer: while I was gone

I hit the OOO on July 4th and now that I am back, I have so many feelings. A detailed and scattered briefing of what happened while I was gone. Order is purely casual, importance is all on HIGH.

There were cicadas always and forever (I left them singing in my Highlight stories on Instagram)

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Crickets at night: nothing more reminiscing of those hot, slow nights of confessions, kissing, planning the future ... everything. Talking about crickets, watch this video of the making of Rainbow Future by Salvatore Ferragamo. The undiscussed king of the platform revisited the Rainbow sandal made for Judy Garland in 1938 according to sustainability principles. It has obtained the ISO 14067, which means it's carbon neutral. And it doesn't finish here, only 100 will be produced, for each a certificate that will include 1 of the 100 trees that will be planted in the countryside of Catania, a gift that keeps on giving. 

If they were a song, they would be Umberto Tozzi "Ti Amo"

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On the urban streetwear fashion, Dapper Dan collection launched by Gucci (make your enemies your best friends).

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Meanwhile, across La Manche channel, Burberry disclosed burning billions of $ worth of merchandize in an effort to make the brand exclusive again ... good try.

WTF? This is the most outstanding unethical practice that only this damn 2018 could bring to surface. Talking about greenwashing. 

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Eggs are kept on the credenza, not in the fridge, now you know it and sorry if I killed your vibe, but that's how it's done.  La frittata tastes totally different, also, there's no better fresh market than the zero mile aka next door neighbor: you only get what's in season, no kidding and no BS.

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Private viewing of monographic exhibition dedicated to Oscar Ghiglia by the curator, Elisabetta Matteucci. Fun facts: we went to the same high school, il liceo classico, and the foundation is headquartered in the v same Liberty style villa that used to belong to some of our family friends. The world is small, and Viareggio too, and made me think that even at +20 years away from the town, I have so many ties and roots that become alive in a jiffy.

Home is home.

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The premiere of Turandot at the Festival Pucciniano, that is the open-air theater built in front of the house/museum where Giacomo Puccini lived and composed much of his portfolio. That is: tenor brings down the house, physically, with "Nessun Dorma", everyone stomping their feet screamed "BIS", orchestra stopped and he performed it again leaving everyone aghast. Can someone have cried? Asking for a friend. 

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Brunello Cucinelli launches a new course for "le maestre di moda" in his Scuola di Solomeo, the village he has bought, refurbished and where he nurtures artisans and craftsmen with the arts of mending, mending knits, and confection. 

At Prince Louis baptism auntie Meghan wore olive oil green, which only looked good in the picture. I officially gave up with this one. 

“Of course one is born with good taste. It’s very hard to acquire. You can acquire the patina of taste?”

— Diana Vreeland

Shade.

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The book was launched at Canto del Maggio. 

Simona, the owner and the fairy of the hill, made her wish come true and hosted a slew of events for artists, writers, authors.  It was magical and undeniably special for the flow of friends and family that flocked and made it a happy celebration.

Unfortunately, it will always hold an incredibly sad memory of a special soul, something too intimate to share, but I want to dedicate it to her, because she always brought that joy, and she didn't take it away with her, she left a bit in all of us who were lucky to have met her.

THE LOCATION

ATMOSPHERE

IT HAPPENED

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The Italian hairdresser on a Saturday morning: an experience not to be missed. What was I thinking? I may have found a new tradition to add to: hot bombolone in pineta, pizzeria and second-hand bookstore in Naviglio Grande. It's gossip, feminism, friendship, roots, habits, polished life, family tradition, technique, slow time. It's a luxurious experience: hair color done with fair trade product by L'Oreal produced in India, the purity of primary colors activated by hot water, a nice soothing aroma therapy treatment while we chatted away about life.

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Sir Hardy Amies, Savile Row couturier and one of Queen Elizabeth appointed fashion designers, gave us a lesson in clarifying the difference between style and chic. Check my Instagram post on it. I bought his auto-biography at Il Libraccio, the best second-hand bookstore, my brother found it for me. Coincidentally, in the plane ride to Milan, I was finally able to watch "Phantom Thread" and, besides the character being a bit cruel, a bit abusive, and a lot not to be liked, DDL kills it with "fucking chic" so much that it became a GIF. 

“Chic? Oh, don’t you start using that filthy little word,” he says, raising his voice.

“Chic! Whoever invented that ought to be spanked in public. I don’t even know what that word means! What is that word? Fucking chic! They should be hung, drawn, and quartered. Fucking chic.”

IT'S SEASON TO SWITCH WARDROBES: DO IT LIKE THE ITALIANS

Switching wardrobe when the seasons change is so Italian that we don't even know how Italian it is until we move to another continent. 

Disclaimer: it may be a habit typical of other European countries, but I only know #theItalianway. Please comment, share, give your tidbits of knowledge about it that will help it become globally adopted. Collaboration is the word to help make the transition to a sustainable life smooth and positive.

Also: all pictures are from The Coveteur. 

“On this subject, I have to share a major TIP: follow Clare Press’ podcast ‘Wardrobe Crisis’”

Starting from an article posted in an Italian magazine, I'll take you through the most salient steps of the process. Remember, there's always chapter 8 of 'The Cheat Sheet of Italian Style'. 

1. UNLOAD THE HAUL

You gotta make it messy, before it becomes pretty. 

Unload everything, the season going and the season coming in.

Before retiring the outgoing stuff, think, ponder, look, become a "sorting expert" check the conditions, feel what comes to you, like, still with tags? why? it may be "currency", re-sellable?, there is always something that you have never worn that a friend could enjoy. See? It's a domino's effect: re-cycle, up-cycle, need a dress maker and seamstress, donate, re-sell online, visit consignment stores, attend a clothes swap (we are having one in Miami during Fashion Revolution week and tickets are HERE) 

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2. SEPARATION ANXIETY

We are all for circulating energies, so don't you think this is a couple hours affair. Make it a weekend, invite friends, practice "giving", stop and think, be mindful, don't flagellate yourself into "oh how much crap I buy", you already did it, move on, as long as that crap doesn't land in a landfill you have done something good that will make you feel better. When you pile stuff (remember that episode of Sex & the City"?) divide and conquer, sleep on it, tomorrow they will "taste" different, you will think twice about something and decide to keep it, and that's good too. 

3. KEEP YOUR S&*T TOGETHER

And now that you are done with clearing up the hoarding and clutter, put to sleep the season that just finished, and display the new one, now for example it would be the spring and the summer. First, think about it, you'll have a brand new (pretend) wardrobe. All those beautiful dresses and shorts and shirts that you accumulated through the years but you haven't seen in at least 6 months. 

How do you rearrange and display your closet? 

Do you color coordinate?

Do you gradually organize by length?

Do you have enough space to fold and hang? Do you use the kitchen over like Carrie, do you hang your evening gowns on the library? 

How about the shoes? Flats to heels or by color? In my open concept closet I had in my first apartment in Milan, I had so much space that I could make display outfits, I remember scarves around the necks and belts hanging on the hangers (I also was working in a showroom and my mind was going with the sales campaigns and insane). 

What's your system? 

Join the convo and be lively. 

AN EXCLUSIVE DAY IN FORTE DEI MARMI

There’s a code and I think I cracked it: It only took me 20 years of Miami living to dig out how to live in the Italian riviera like a local. 

It took just one morning, the morning of the Wednesday street market in Forte dei Marmi, our version of Palm Beach, in the good season, the summer, during my trip to Italy was a revelation.

Imagine the Agnelli, Giorgio Armani at one point owned a home here too, Thomas Mann, Henry Moore, Luchino Visconti, old money and noble families populate the mansions behind the discreet gates, pines, oleanders. And then there's il Bagno Piero, the beach club of the front rowers. If you have the tent in row n.1 you have accumulated a Anna Wintour type of seniority. And then la Capannina di Franceschi, a sort of Studio 54 of the roaring '60s when Gino Paoli and Ornella Vanoni were IT. 

There’s a diffused sense of elegance, relaxed and chic, understated lifestyle made of simple yet luxurious things, there's no showing off Ferrais or Lamborghini, you actually do errands, go to the beach in the bike. The morning starts at the bar, if you want to make it posh it's Il Principe. You know there's a bar at each and every corner in Italy, you go, pay for un caffe', show the recipt to the barista, order and in a NY minute you gulp it down and leave. There's no alien language just un caffe'or a cappuccino, not a skinny latte with an extra shot kids temp, they don't need to call your name, it's a ritual, but it entails a mix of attitude and discretion, respect for your privacy, it's a question of sleekness and rapidity, when you want a coffee can't wait.  

Well, al Forte, even the barista seems a magician, they are as fast at manifesting that caffe’ as you should expect from a barista, yet the noises are tufted, voices are soft and coffee cups are china, not clunky basic ceramics. 

So here’s when the luxury is a state of mind enters in action and the whole reason I wrote the book with it. How about getting dressed to go to the market?

CAN’T LIVE WITHOUT: Linen, layers of whites, gold bracelets, bicycles and wicker baskets, cashmere scarves, silk foulards, les paniers, flat leather sandals, wide brimmed hats, children in prams and nannies.

GET CAUGHT DEAD BEFORE: Wearing high heels pumps, allover logos, It girl bag, the same furry Gucci loafer that all influencers wear or any knock-off.

BTW, you will find random street sellers offering knock-offs of all the above on the curb of the street over a white bed sheet that comes handy when the police come.

WORST FAUX PAS: Trying too hard: it shows that you don’t belong, it’s not about the money and wanting to be who you are not, is never a good idea. And, no coffee to go in a plastic cup, ice cream though it's a different story, it's a cone on the go in the bike. 

WHAT TO BUY AT THE MARKET: The best items to be bought at the market in Forte dei Marmi are bed linens, bathroom parures, pajama sets all to be embroidered with initials (they place your order and the following week you come back for your personalized items); cashmere anything like sweaters, scarves, ponchos. Leathergoods, especially shoes and bags  are the best showcase of what Tuscan craftsmanship is capable of: leather, cotton, silks, prints all made in family owned looms and labs and proudly represented, generation after generation. 

DO THE SUMMER LIKE THE LOCALS DO: FIRENZE & PITTI EPISODE

I attended another Pitti.

For many it's still a dream that hasn’t happened, especially since it became the man/main event par excellence, “peacocking” included. I explain the whole story about it in the book, in the “Borrow from the Boys” chapter and I will not be repetitive.

From 1992 it evolved, changed, expanded, went online, expatriated, cancelled the woman, added a small woman representation, now cancelled it again. My “relatore” the person that introduces you and kinda mentors you through the extenuating preparation of the final thesis in university was Luigi Settembrini, the then communication director and creative consultant of Pitti.

Florence is the place where in 1957 Italian fashion was born with a defile’ in the Sala Bianca in Palazzo Pitti, where Gianfranco Ferre’ made his man collection debut, where the men socks Gallo were launched. Guccio Gucci and Marquis Pucci were home buddies. Firenze is where you breathe history, culture and fashion like nowhere else in the world, it’s the noble of the family of the fashion capitals.

This seemed the perfect backdrop to hold a workshop on how to feel empowered by maintaining your own style in the world of fashion. Part of the job of #luxuryisastateofmind and making all look effortless chic was done by the J.K. Place and its director, Claudio Meli.

What to do like an Italian, or, in other words, how not to look like a tourist.

·         Don’t confuse Pitti Immagine with Palazzo Pitti, Santa Maria Novella the train station, the basilica or the farmacia;

It's ok to walk the streets with that feeling that Caterina de' Medici will show up around the corner with one hell of a damask gown and a cascade of emeralds: it happens to the veterans

·         Scudieri is for the orange zest dipped in dark chocolate, winter or summer;

·         Ice cream is at Perche’ no

·         Don’t be stars truck, play it cool; They are all peacocks, some are fake, the real ones don’t hang out at the entrance of the Fortezza;

·         Be aware, you may find your friend from 20 years ago

·         Go local, like follow Claudio Meli’s footsteps, hang out at the J.K. Place and make yourself acquainted with "the other Florence" the artists and artesans of the sublime.

·         Don’t wear logos, branding or, for that, any cheap Zara knockoffs of logos and brands

The Cheat Sheet of Italian Style // Book is still found HERE and HERE (if you live in the UK or prefer using the Pound). 

Forget Sophia Loren: Italian style dished out

It’s ok to connect Sophia Loren and Anita Eckberg in the Fontana di Trevi when thinking of Italian style. That was la dolce vita, Cinecitta’ and the luxurious and extravagant lives of the first paparazzi-ed movie stars.

a screenshot for the movie "Made in Italy" of my new obsession channel M2M

That’s a good starting point, when thinking of “the Italian way”, it’s sweet, retro and glamorous. But, and here you have to trust me, we kinda moved from Sophia. She grew, evolved and became an Hollywood icon of Italian beauty, but Italians don’t recognize themselves in her anymore, we think she is the glory of our past, we are somehow proud of her, yet she belongs to a collective imaginary that is not modern anymore

Style however has evolved, and her stance may lead to the misconception that Italian style means expensive clothing, glamorous wardrobes, custom made shoes and lavish lives. Ennio Flaiano said: Fashion is the self-portrait of a society. 

Virna Lisi, Anna Magnani, Monica Vitti are more of the icons we look up to, because they kept it real, with irony, sense of humor, wit, elegance, simplicity, frugality, sensuality …

Eva Geraldine Fontanelli, one of the coolest editors, stylist, chic Italians  photo from Style du Monde

• Coffee
• Fresh flowers
• Your own perfume (chapter 7 has the whole shenanigans about it)
• Put a smile on it
• Sneakers and leggings belong to the gym
• Comb your hair, polish your shoes, because “you never know”
• Don’t take yourself too seriously
• Your grandmother’s armoire is where you go first
• No garlic powder or canned grated Parmesan cheese wannabe
• You fight for the best part of the fish, the cheek
• Sunday long lunches almost always end with an animated discussion about soccer or politics
• But the above mentioned Sunday lunches also are for fresh pastries from the local pasticceria
• Seamstress and cobbler are preciously kept numbers
• Coffeecoffee: expresso shot, no powder creamer or foam container
• Big pants and big watches

pic. from collegevintage.com

• Aperol spritz before dinner, summer time
• Pasta
• Frugally curate the closet
• Intangible quality of chic
• Don’t buy a size smaller

“there’s nothing more feminine, sensual, elegant, yet unconventionally pretty than alluding to a woman’s body instead of flaunting it shamelessly”

— There's no shuch thing as pretty - Ch.10

• Domestic goddessing, like Pandora Sykes calls it, is part of your life whether you are a man or a woman.
• Flats or heels
• Black is fine, but navy!
• Don’t keep the good stuff for Sunday

sabot + socks 

I learned from the movie that it's been said that "Italy is not a country, but a state of mind, a point of view, a way of understanding the world."

Sustainable is chic, the Italian way

How do we become sustainable?

We can’t handle these rhythms anymore, we are like a hamster rolling on the wheel that goes nowhere. And it’s a NEED before we all disappear and implode with Earth who knows where: a statement that maybe 30 years ago could have sounded alarmistic, and now it’s a reality.

The United Nations established the 17 global goals for sustainable living with a deadline to make them a reality by 2030. There’s so much to be done for human rights, clean waters, clean air, and sustainable living.  Some numbers: 75 mill people work in fashion and textile industry; 80% are women between the age of 18 and 24. Too many of them are exploited, victims of verbal and physical abuse, paid below standard living needs, work in precarious establishments. Yes, those are the workers who made the pants you are wearing. 

Now that you know, does that make you feel good, still?

I had to do something. I first became member of the U.N. Women Miami Chapter and you can too.

What to do NOW.

Go in your closet and simply be, look around.

Are you happy?

Does whatever you own make you feel empowered, make you look good and feel good? Is your closet inspiring when Monday morning comes and you got to get dressed for work? Do you know where your clothes come from? Are there useless purchases that you made last minute and never wore?

If you have answered NO to any of the above, there are many ways to come out of the guts.

Purge, eliminate, donate, resell, swap, consign, re-cycle, upcycle. Replenish mindfully, with knowledge, researching, sort what you need from what you want, what you should have and what you’ll need, staples, capricious,

Sustainable is sexy, not boring. Sustainable is smart and modern, mindless consumption is so 2004 that is a bankrupt concept.

“Sustainable chic” means that you can be elegant, chic, strike attention for your recognizable style with a few items of the highest quality, made of sublime materials by expert hands and skilled artisans and nobody will ever judge you if you have already worn them.

When you adopt luxury as a state of mind, you’ll twist things the Italian way

Borrow from the boys, spring edition

The boyfriend cardigan, the boyfriend jean, the blazer and its origin from military uniforms. I have worked some winter files last month, now it's time to spruce the closet up for spring. 

"Floral for spring: groundbreaking" this was Meryl Streep in Devils Wear Prada, the movie that showcased the behind the scenes of the fashion world.

When we were kids, white was first worn on Palm Sunday after the wintery dark cold months, pastel and flowers were for Easter Sunday and from there on, linens, silks, flowers, open toe sandals, frilly and voluminous transparencies ensued. I was always a disrupter, not by choice though, that's where my father appears in my life by letting me know that "we don't follow trends, we set them" after I was complaining I had to wear an hitchy hand-made sweater he had brought me from Scotland, whereas my friends were wearing Benetton. 

1. No need to leave the flowers at home, simply make it badass by adding textures, like a leather motorcycle jacket or a pair of ankle boots in a contrasting color.
2. Don't be the fashion victim, make it personal. Don't add pain to pain, flower dress with pumps, boring, think outisde of the box. Polka dot tights and a military jacket and some feathers, think Miu Miu while mixing and don't stop mixing because "what will they thin of me?". 
3. Trickle into the sartorial dress code with femininity. think of Diane Keaton in Annie Hall and don't be shy and explore the man section at the thrift store. 

1. You don't need a graphic Tshirt to remind you you are a woman. It's a superpower you are born with. The highest form of empowering energy a woman has is her vulnerability: the Archimedes lever that will help you take over. Until we let hypocrisy make us believe that we cannot cry in public or show our feelings for a child or an elderly person, we give in. 
2. Wear pants under a dress. This has been seen on the runways for this spring and intensively for the fall, it's not for every body shape, it tends to enlarge the proportions if you are minute, and elongate if you are tall, the irony of life. 
3. Flip the script, there's no #dresslikeawoman dress code.
4. Corporate attire was dead even before Working Girl but when a man asks for style advice, give profusely. 

Santa Baby's list

It’s the Holidays and we dream by the fire, walking in the winter wonderland and it’s also (always) been my birthday for over 40 years now, so I know the drill very well.

I have always had my favorite things in mind for this time of the year when Santa comes and I am dreaming of a white Christmas and a few sparkles. 

A gift must come from the heart, gotta be something you have thought about whether it's for yourself or the recipient, the thrill when opening the box or ripping the paper begins with that. Am I the only one that connects the happiness of the thrill to the expectation? I mean, when you know that the person that is gifting you waits for Black Friday to buy the gifts, chances are the act donesn't come from the heart, but the wallet. A gift doens't have to be expensive to be welcomed, you don't need to fake it and pretend you can afford it. 

I remember my grandmother would buy each one of us a gift for our birthday and it was THE one, she knew us so well that she would always hit the jackpot. As a matter of facts, she is the one that established my queen-ship in the family: my birthday was the closest (still is) to Christmas and God forbid someone tried to be cheap and combine everything in one gift of lesser value. She would set the example, 1 for birthday and 1 equally valued for the 10 of us cousins. Same for her daughters, and btw, nonno Bruno was excluded, mostly … because then, story was if she’d give him something she had to give something to her sons-in-law and that was unchartered territory. I was born and raised in a matriarchal family.

I have made a list, selected items that I would want to give myself which also mean I would gladly receive. Maybe they can also be of inspiration for you, in case you don’t know what you want or want to give.

It’s a whole happy jolly season of giving, and receiving in giving. By the end, you’ll find that sustainable, conscientious, be supportive of local and small businesses is fun and delightful.

·         Barbra Streisand is coming to Miami next week and it would be a Memory for a lifetime.

·         In honor to an imminent trip to NYC, a Chrysler cuff 

from www.vibeconsignment.com

·         Fairtrade fairy little angel from Dawn Gallagher’s website 

·         How about 1 hour free of social media or screen time per day? 365 hours = 2 weeks and 1 day of freedom = how many books can you read in 15 days? Or, how many dinners can you squeeze in 365 hours? How many fun conversations could you have about the day that's gone by? One per day? There you have a piece of sustainability: 1 hour recouperated from BSing, recycling at its best form. 

·         Want to belong to a tribe that believes in honest media? Subscribe to Holl & Lane: I can’t get enough of the mag and their Instagram account

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·         Consider a membership with UN Women. Emma Watson and Nicole Kidman have and they are working towards a world where women and girls live without violence, poverty and inequality. Even the smallest act of support adds to shifting the gloomy times are awaiting ahead of us. Have you heard of #orangetheworld in #16days or the #HeforShe campaign? There are many ways to get involved, for more inspiration look at what Somy Ali has created with No Mor Tears to stop domestic violence, child abuse and human trafficking.

·         Big earrings don’t care

·         The BOOK If you haven’t done it yet, subscribe to my newsletter already? It is coming out sooner than you think and signed copies will be available to reserve. 

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