Italy's favourite son, finally moving out - The Florentine

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20 Thursday 7 September 2006 STYLE & FASHION Life in Italy www.theflorentine.net A blast from the past Vintage passion feeds Florentine fashion By Cassandra Brown People have always appreciated treasures from the past, and the last couple of years have seen a global rise in the demand for vintage fashions. Not many years ago, it was seen as something distasteful in the eyes of many Italians to want to wear items of clothing that other people had worn or that were ‘second hand.’ Recently, however, we have seen an increase in the popularity of vintage, and with this has come the arrival of stores selling vintage clothing and accessories across Italy. Fuelled by the frequent sightings of celebrities in vintage clothing, especially from America and the UK, Italians, more used to setting rather than taking on trends, have adopted some aspects of ‘vintage’ fashion. Part of this trend comes from the fashion houses around Italy, which have delved into past collections and archives to produce pieces inspired by the past. Last year, Gucci recreated an exquisite pattern on many accessories originally designed for Grace Kelly. Matthew Williamson at Pucci has also designed his collections with one eye on the past of the great man of prints himself. This desire to obtain pieces of clothing from differing eras has filtered down into mainstream and high street fashions, and has further encouraged a desire to seek out items from years gone by. People seek vintage items often because they are ‘one off’s’ and lend an individual a style that is different and unique. Some people appreciate the quality of vintage goods, especially those that have been hand made. In today’s climate of mass production and clothes and accessories that have been imported from factories all over the world, this is certainly something to consider. Florence, although not often seen as such an important city for fashion as Milan, is nevertheless home to a number of vintage fashion stores and fairs. Often coinciding with the Pitti Uomo and Filati fairs, is Pitti Vintage, which showcases a vast array of differing styles from around the world. At this increasingly popular fair, pieces from big names such as Gucci, Fendi, Pucci and Prada can easily be found, as well as a number of handmade items, accessories, shoes, and luggage. A popular trend among new and existing ‘trendy’ designers is to purposely design ‘new vintage’ items – distressed jeans and tee-shirts being perfect examples that are now mainstream. The Corsini family regularly hold vintage sales in the gardens of their stunning palazzo. Here the great and the good of Florence sell and buy designer and hand made items, more often from Italian and in particular, Florentine designers. Pitti Vintage, close to the Pitti Palace, is a treasure trove of items from the past, selling many big name brands, and is more on the costly end of the vintage market in Florence. Here it is sometimes possible to find accessories in exotic leathers, such as crocodile and lizard. There is also jewelry as well as luggage, shoes and boots. Other accessories include belts, suspenders and an eclectic mix of brooches. Ceri Vintage sells a mix of brand and nonbrand items, including Gucci, Louis Vuitton and Armani, as well as a selection of marine garments, buttons and emblems. Yves Saint Laurent pieces can sometimes be found in these stores, although normally more in clothing than accessories. Lastly, Borgo Pinti is home to Maison Dumitru, which tends to sell non brand name vintage, from private labels or private collections. It is a treasure trove of unique pieces. All of these stores also occasionally sell ‘one off’ items, such as old cigarette holders or containers and business card holders, and they are great places to find exquisitely tailored items that have been hand made by tailors across Florence, and the world. Vintage fashion is popular among the huge numbers of tourists and students that come to Florence to study. So much so, in fact, that Ceri Vintage has organized the Florence Vintage Market next Sunday September 10 at the Canoa Club presso Canottieri Comunali Firenze, on the Lungarno Francesco Ferrucci, no 4. It looks to be a fun afternoon with a bar-bque, music and free entrance from 12.30pm to 8.00pm. There will be vintage clothing, accessories, luggage and jewellery from all over the world. It is exciting to see that Florence, a city steeped in history, has reacted to a worldwide trend in vintage fashions, and has encouraged a whole new approach to individual and unique ways of dressing. With the arrival of more and more vintage fairs and shops, it appears that finding and choosing items from decades gone by can be a fun and fascinating way to shop. Having earned a medical degree from Cambridge University, UK, Cassandra followed her heart to Florence, and into the fashion world. She works in communications and marketing, as well as writing for several international publications on fashion and luxury.
www.theflorentine.net Life in Italy 21 Thursday 7 September 2006 Food & WINE Where wine is pleasure September in Tuscany welcomes slow food and fine wine festivals By Carolyn Abney BE FAMILIAR WITH THESE ITALIAN WINE INDICATIONS: Feste, feste everywhere and such a lot to drink! This is harvest season in Tuscany, which, of course, means harvest festivals. The weekend of Sept. 8-10 offers two opportunities… Although there is also an artisan’s market on Sept 7, which makes an overnight stay in Greve in Chianti even more attractive, the 16 th Rassegna di Chianti Classico/ Chianti Wine Festival takes place September 8-10. Greve is in the heart of Chianti country, just 30 kilometers south of Florence, and can be easily reached by car on state road 222 or by 45-ride on the SITA bus. If you go by bus, be aware the last bus leaves Greve at 4:30pm. The event takes place in Piazza Matteotti, the main square. Like most of these events, you purchase a souvenir wine glass; then try out the wines. There are several nice trattorias and restaurants around the square, and, during the festival, there will be food stalls as well, where you can try traditional dishes, local cheeses and salamis. In Fiesole on Sept. 9 and 10, Slow Food Firenze and the City of Fiesole have teamed up for a weekend that will be fun as well as educational. On the morning of Sept. 9, there will be a seminar called ‘Good to drink, good to think. What is the future of quality wine?’ This event will be held in the auditorium of the Consiglio Regionale della Toscana, Via Cavour, 4 in Florence. In the afternoon, the festivities start in the Roman Amphitheater in Fiesole at 3pm. There will be lots of opportunities for tasting wine and food – including the famous ribollita and papa al pomodoro - plus book signings and a guided tour of the Museum. Fiesole is 4 kilometers north of Florence; because of limited parking, the ATAF bus number 7 is your best choice. • Vino da tavola (VDT). Just what it sounds like – a simple table wine. The label can’t have a vintage year nor name the grape used to produce it. • IGT (Indicazione Geografica Tipica). The label will have a broad geographic designation and may indicate a year and/or grape variety. • DOC (Denominazione di Origine Controllata). By law, the label will indicate that the wine comes from a specifi c place and made from specifi c grapes, in accordance with rules governing planting, cultivating, and fertilizing. The maximum yield of grapes/hectare is specifi ed, and there are specifi cs about alcohol level and ageing of the wine. • DOCG (Denominazione di Origine Controllata e Garantita). The most stringent of the categories. A DOCG wine includes all the DOC attributes, but the producer is also required to guarantee everything stated on the wine’s label. The bottle carries a government seal of approval. Remember, the DOC/G system is about authenticity, not quality. When you buy one of these wines, you are buying ‘the real thing.’ Whether it tastes better than a specifi c IGT or VDT, is up to you to decide. On Sunday, the Campionato di Vino wine championships will be held. Beginning at 11am, individuals and teams of experts will have blind tastings of wines at Fiesole’s Basilica Sant’Alessandro. Prize winners will be announced at the Amphitheater at 7pm. The wine and gastronomy booths will re-open from 3pm to 7pm. There will be tours of the grounds and a spe- cial wine laboratory at 5pm. Although the tasting area in the Amphitheater is open to all, many events require a reservation. For more information, contact Slow Food Firenze by email (segreteri a@slowfoodfirenze.it) or by telephone Monday to Friday, 10am to 1pm, 055.684.405. The next weekend, head south again to Impruneta, Panzano, or both. This year the Vinoteca al Chianti is holding its 6th Vino é piacere festival. Some 800 wines will be offered as well as olive oils and artisan-made food products from throughout Italy. The festival takes place Friday from 3pm to 10pm; Saturday and Sunday from 10am to 10pm. The venue is the Cloister of the Basilica of Impruneta. Again, a small fee is charged for your tasting glass. Impruneta is an easy drive by surface streets and is just 5 kilometers from the Certosa exit of the A1; or you can take a CAP bus from Florence. A little farther south, you find the charming village of Panzano. Friday evening and all day Saturday and Sunday, you will be able to taste the wines of many Panzano winemakers, enjoy some good music by a local band, stop in at the world famous butcher shop of Dario Cecchini, have a pleasant walk in the country or all of the above. The center of town is closed to traffic for the festival. The booths are simple and it gets very crowded. But, if you love the Sangiovese grape and Chianti wines, this is the place to be. A small fee for the tasting glass. You can take the SITA bus that continues from Greve or the 222, otherwise known as the Chiantigiana or ‘Strada del Chianti’. Salute! Cin Cin! Enjoy! Photograph Florence...and win your copy of “Italians Dance and I am a Wallflower” The new book by Linda Falcone Send your photo to info@theflorentine.net The winner will be chosen by The Florentine editorial staff ...and the winner is... author: Mandy Coyle title: Arno river’s reflection The winner will be contacted by The Florentine staff.
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Italy's favourite son, finally moving out - The Florentine

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