Completely Italy: Completamente Italia

Art.Fashion.Gelato.Pasta.Pizza.&.Wine

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As my trip draws nearer to the end I am trying to take every opportunity to explore this beautiful city.  The architecture is outstanding.  One block will have modern skyscrapers and the next will be buildings that are hundreds of years old.  Today, while perusing the streets I stumbled upon a very unique church.   As you know there are churches everywhere in Italy.  So at first I didn’t pay any notice to it, but then I say a glisten out of the corner of my eye and got curious.  When looking more closely at the top of the wall that surrounds the church I detected shards of glass.  This was very peculiar.  I couldn’t understand why a church would want to keep people out so badly.  Isn’t their mission to spread the gospel and touch individual lives on a daily basis?  I guess this church missed the memo.

Although it seems rather weird, this architecture reminded me of studded shoes.  I have never been a huge fan of the studded look so when stumbling upon the Philipp Plein studded boots photographed above I got the same odd feeling. What is the point of adding spikes to a leather boot?  Isn’t that enough protection?  However, these odd little additions to the shoes are not for protection of any sort but just decorations.  This made me look at the glass wall differently.  It may have once been used to keep people out, but now it stays as a form of decoration.  It sets this church just a step above the others because it glistens when you walk by. 

Works Cited

Philipp Plein, Fall/Winter 2014/15, N/A

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Every time I walk through a door in an ancient building my eyes are automatically drawn to ceiling and today was no different.  When strolling into Chiesa di San Maurizio al Monastero Maggiore I was immediately shocked.  This particular ceiling, photographed above, was like no other.  Every single diamond in the vaulted ceiling is filled with its own unique designs that tell a story.  It was absolutely gorgeous and I knew instantaneously that this could be inspirational to any designer and so my search began.

 It wasn’t hard to find an article of clothing that was absolutely perfect.  Dries Van Noten has a very unique style and his Men’s Fall 2014 line did not disappoint.  Every piece told a story all the way down to each individual thread.  Most of the line was composed of tie-dye.  However the piece photographed above stuck out from all the rest. The argyle print in the shirt had a very tribal feel and every individual diamond was unique just like the ceiling in the church.   Van Noten didn’t necessarily have to be looking at this particular ceiling to pull his inspiration but  it definitely has it’s similarities.

Works Cited

Dries Van Noten, Fall 2014, N/A

Chiesa di San Maurizo al Monastero Maggiore, Giovanni Antonio Amadeo and Gian Giacomo Dolcebuono, 1518, Milan, Italy

Blanks, Tim. "Dries Van Noten Fall 2014 Menswear Collection on Style.com: Runway Review." Style.com. N.p., 16 Jan. 2014. Web. 27 June 2014.<http://www.style.com/fashionshows/review/F2014MENDVNOTE N>.

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If you can't be better than your competition, just dress better.

Anna Wintour

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If I have learned only one thing from this trip it’s that designers can find their inspiration absolutely anywhere.  So today I challenged myself to find what could have been a designer’s inspiration from a cemetery.  Luckily Milan has one of the most celebrated cemeteries called Cimitero Monumentale.  Only the famous can be buried at this location and you can tell why upon entering.  There is no such thing as a tombstone in this cemetery, instead over grave is marked with a statue that depicts something about each individual.  The one photographed above grabbed my attention immediately. 

There is a tower structure that spirals up and is supported completely by human beings.  To me this told a very special story because unlike every other statue that depicts grieving this one seemed to have a more positive light.  It symbolizes the loved one’s life.  When looking closely you can see that there we good and bad times, but from afar all you see is a beautiful monument of a successful life.  This exact story is replicated in the Aurélie Bidermann bracelet in the picture above.  It is a completed cycle, or life, that has its troubled times.  These times are represented by the thorns along the bracelet.  However, when you look at this piece from afar it is simple and gorgeous.  

Works Cited

Aurélie Bidermann, Fall 2014, N/A

Cimitero Monumentale di Milano, Carlo Maciachini, 1866, Milan, Italy

 "Accessories Index: Jewelry." Style.com. N.p., n.d. Web. 23 June 2014. <http%3A%2F%2Fwww.style.com%2Faccessories%2Fsearch%2Fjewelry

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Today was a dream come true. I was invited to attend the Costume National Homme fashion show with Fashion Times IT and I was beyond excited because this would be my first real fashion show.  I have been to many school shows but never to one that you would find a celebrity. I was without words when I was told that Anna Dello Russo was present and that I could have the opportunity to take a picture with her.  For those of you that don’t know of her she is only the most amazing fashion blogger and someone that you can always pull inspiration from.  When I finally stumbled upon her I dug deep to find the courage to ask for a selfie with her and surprisingly she was very accommodating. 

After that moment I was ready for anything.  My eyes were constantly searching for the next “very important person” as Fulvio would put it and that helped to pass the time.  Before I knew it the show was beginning.  It took place in a very large, empty factory.  Everything was white which helped the clothing pop.  The men’s wear was very sleek and contemporary with a rock and roll flare.  Costume National did a fantastic job at taking inspiration from the 70’s and modernizing it for the men of 2015.  

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While studying at Johnson and Wales University I had the opportunity to visit America's Mart in Atlanta, Georgia.  It was very informative, but not magical at all.  So I gave up on being a buyer at that point.  However, yesterday I found the magic at Pitti Uomo, which is Italy's Show for men's fashion.

The showrooms were extravagantly decorated to embody the vendors theme.  Gant for example built an island oasis, complete with a boat and surf shack.  Every brand went all out for the show and they do not reuse anything.  Sadly I was not able to take pictures of the actual showroom since the lines have not officially been released to the public.  I did however; get some great street fashion pictures.  The men were dressed impeccably as you can see above.  It was like walking into a whole new world or fashion.  

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I’ve always been told that Florence is the most beautiful place in the world, but I didn’t believe it until I saw it with my own eyes.  Everything about it is breathtaking, from the people to the scenery, and even the ceilings of every ancient building.  Every time I walk into a room my eyes go straight to the ceiling.  Above are the two most enchanting ceilings that I have come across so far.  They are both located at the Palazzo Pitti.  The first is in the main courtyard where the fountain is housed.  Then the second is the Grotto of Buotanlenti and it is hidden away in the garden area.

The one thing that really caught my eye from these ceilings was the stalactite formations.  I grew up visiting every cave on the east coast.  So as you can imagine it was quite sensational to find architecture in Florence that seemed to replicate it.  Then from there I started to think about how you could transfer that design into clothing and Fanny’s Fur did just that.  In the Fall/Winter 2014/15 line there are many pieces that copy the stalactite formation.  The dress on the far right especially with the floral applicant trickling down to the hem of the dress reminds me of being in a cave.  The runway helped to create the atmosphere feel more like a cave as well.

  Works Cited

"My Library." Style Sight. Millennium Web Catalog, n.d. Web. 18 June            2014. <http://0www.stylesight.com>

Fanny's Fur, Fall/Winter 2014/15, N/A

Palazzo Pitti, Florence, Italy

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Got to visit the one and only "David" today.

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Italy is everything I have ever hoped for and more all the way down to the street style.  Men and women alike are strutting the streets with their pants rolled just above their ankle.  The men either pair it with tennis shows or dress shoes.  I also never see a man without his blazer, whether it’s combined with a V-neck shirt or a button down it’s always present.  The women on the other hand are almost always in wedges or oxfords.  They love their basic collared shirts as well.  Then they layer it up and add the key accessories to make it perfect. 

Oh and let’s not forget those sunglasses.  They come in every shape, size, and color just like the bicycles.  If the Italians aren’t zooming past on a Vespa they are weaving in and out of traffic with their retro bikes.  Some even put their dog in the baskets on the front, because the best accessory of all is a pup by your side.  

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The world is a book and those who do not travel read only one page.

St. Augustine

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Alexander McQueen was always known for going above and beyond with his fashion shows and Sarah Burton has not disappointed.  Her designs for the Alexander McQueen Fall 2014/15 line were all very dark and surreal, as if they came from the Grimm Brothers’ stories.    In the pictures above you get just a glimpse of the collection and right away you can pull a theme from it.  There are furs and feathers in almost every piece.

So when perusing the Pinacoteca di Brera today I couldn’t help but think of this particular line. Especially after coming across the two Filippo De Pisis paintings photographed above.  They would be perfect backgrounds to compliment the line.  They are dark and fit perfectly with the theme of the Fall 14/15 line. However, they are also simple enough to not take away from the clothing.  Finding a background for a fashion show is not always the easiest thing to do, but these paintings would work flawlessly, as if Burton had designed the whole line around these painting alone. 

Works Cited

Blanks, Tim. "Alexander McQueen." Style.com. N.p., 4 Mar. 2014. Web.      15 June 2014<http%3A%2F%2Fwww.style.com%2Ffashionshows%2      Freview%2FF2014RTW-AMCQUEEN>.

Natura morta marina con la pavoncella, Filippo De Pisis, 1924, Pinacoteca      di Brera, Milan, Italy

Natura morta marina con la penna, Filippo De Pisis, 1953, Pinacoteca di         Brera, Milan, Italy

Alexander McQueen, Fall/Winter 2014/2015, Wild Beauty

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A world of color. That is precisely what I walked into today.  There were beads of all shapes, sizes, and colors organized neatly along the walls of Happy Bead.  We were greeted by the owner, Angelica, who was eager to share her story of her journey.

The store started as a family owned stationary store and didn't begin to offer beads until Angelica realized her true passion for beads. She has always loved bead work, but it was her father that proposed she make it into a career. So she started to offer a wide variety of glass beads in the family store.  However, it became so popular that they had to relocate to a larger store, which they have been in for five years now.  Angelica eats, sleeps, and dreams beads which have helped the business be so successful.  She has expanded to an online store to help reach the whole of Italy since it is a pretty new concept to the Italians to have a bead shop.  She is also currently looking for a new space so that she can have separate classrooms and a place for parties.  For me it was very exciting to see a business blossoming so beautifully, especially because she has such a love for the art.  

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Sangalli to Laboratori Teatro alla Scala

    Most everyone yearns for their very own piece of haute couture clothing. However, what exactly makes a pair of pants or a dress haute couture.  Everyone knows that it’s made just for you which make it quite pricey.  People know that the quality is outstanding, but they don’t know what makes it so amazing.  At our visit to Sangalli today we learned precisely that. 

 The difference between the everyday designer clothes and haute couture is the care and time that is put into each and every detail.  For example, the embroidered pearl jacket photographed above was hand beaded one-by-one.  That way if one bead caught on something the whole thing wouldn’t fall apart.  The entire process of making haute couture is significantly different than any other manufacturing process.  Every detail of the article of clothing is made for the customer and it is made by only one person.  They sit down and create the masterpiece from beginning to end.  There isn’t one person making the sleeve while another person is making the body, the only exception being the embroidering. Sangalli is one the last designers to still use the ancient technique of embroidering by hand.  Another really neat thing about Sangalli is the new material that they have started to work with.  It is silk with fiber optics infused.  This allows the dress, shirt, handbag to light up and it is still nice to the hand.  The pictures below are a few examples of the new material in use.  The first is a wedding dress and the second is a variety of handbags. Overall, Sangalli has definitely hit the nail on the head for haute couture.  They stay true to the ancient practices which give the piece of clothing a quality that is a step above all others.  

    Clothing isn't the only thing in Italy that is a step above the rest.  The Opera Scala is one of the more well known opera houses in the world and the Italian people take great pride in it.  I did not get to visit the actual opera house, but I go to go somewhere much better. The Laboratori Teatro alla Scala.  This is where all of the magic happens. 

   An opera would not be the same without the extravagant scenery and costumes and that has to be created somewhere.  That somewhere is the Laboratori Teatro alla Scala.  When taking a tour I got to see the workers bringing the old sceneries back to life as well as the hundreds of costumes being restored for the upcoming show this winter. The process takes anywhere from 5 to 6 months and all of the work is down at the lab then moved very carefully to the opera house.  However, they have to make sure that everything is perfect by setting the entire thing up in the practice space before moving it. This experience was astounding and even pictures couldn't have captured it so I would definitely suggest to anyone to visit the lab if they can.  

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Stain glass is one of the most exceptional forms of art.  To make one masterpiece could take years.  Today we went to the Duomo and I fell in love with the stain glass window photographed above.  It has such intricate details and it tells a story.  However, it as upon looking at the details of the window that I realized the designs could be used in every day fashion. 

For example, when you see the Espresso dress in the picture above you think nothing of it, but when looking closer you notice that there is a definite similarity between the dress and the window.  The pattern in the dress has the same concept as the particular section of the window photographed bottom right .  Both have the shape of a quatrefoil pattern that is filled in with different shapes and patterns.  Espresso left out all of the beautiful colors but   they certainly had stain glass in the back of their mind when designing the pattern for this dress. 

                                          Work Cited

Duomo, Archbishop Antonia da Saluzzon, 1386-1965, Milan, Italy

Espresso, F/W 14/15, N/A

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AFOL Moda is the most impressive fashion school that I have ever visited and I have visited over forty schools.  They are focused on taking the idea that is in each individuals mind and making it reality.  Everything about their program is outstanding.  The typical student, ages 19 to 35, will stay anywhere from two to four years, the older bracket staying for less time because they are antsy to begin their career.  There is a very high success rate that precedes this school.  Every student has a job within the first two years after graduating.  The job is many times a contract, but that is better than nothing in the economy nowadays.  I feel as though this school is so effective because they find pride in the Italian tradition of handmade, quality clothing.  Most brands are going elsewhere to manufacture their clothes because it is more affordable, but Italy is still producing quality handmade clothing for those who are searching for it.  AFOL Moda really knows what it is doing by teaching the student “project to product” and keeping the tradition in the process. 

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When first comparing the tapestry and dress above you can’t see what they have in common.  However, when taking a closer look you realize there is definitely a similarity.  In “Gonfalone de San’Ambrogio”, the tapestry photographed above, there is a scalloped edge at the bottom with tassels in every dip.  Then when you compare the tassel to the Michael Kors dress in the middle picture above you can find many similarities.  In fact it looks as if Michael Kors was creating a walking tassel.  The knit portion is like the top of the tassel and then the change in color around the bottom of the knit symbolizes the string wrapped around the top.   Then the fringe around the bottom on the dress is a perfect replica of the strings in the tassel.  Michael Kors may not have been referencing this actual piece of art but he certainly created a new twist on a tassel.

Works Cited

Franke, Bette. "Michael Kors Fall 2014 RTW." Style. N.p., n.d. Web. 7 June 2014. <http://www.style.com/fashionshows/complete/slideshow/F2014RTW-MKORS/#10>.

Gonfalone de San’Amrogio,  Giuseppe Meda (drawing), Delfinone Scipio, Camillus Pusterla (embroidery), about 1565, Sforza Castle, Milan Italy

Michael Kors, Fall 2014 RTW, N/A

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The Recycling Fashion Queen

Who would have thought that old scraps and threads could be so stunning?  Only Luisa Cevese could see such potential in such useless pieces of fabric.  The simple fact that she had an idea to reuse the scraps that most people would toss and create something so beautiful blows my mind.  She is an amazing woman that wanted to find a home for the abandoned pieces of art and she did that through 11 (eleven).   When she first mixed the textile scraps with plastic there was nothing else like it in the world.   However, that wasn’t enough for her she had to take that material and make a piece of art from it in the form of a bag.  Since first opening she has expanded and now creates anything from rugs and lights to hand bags and placemats.  Her creativity is boundless and I knew as soon as I entered her showroom today that I was not leaving without at least one piece to call my own.  I simply adored this experience and I hope that it inspires everyone to find the beauty in everything around them.  If Luisa Cevese can find exquisiteness in a shred of leftover textile then you should be able to find it everywhere.

P.S. If you would like to see all of her products check out her website at www.riedizioni.com