Folio.YVR ☆ Issue 2 ☆ Luxury Lifestyle Magazine ☆ Vancouver, BC ☆ May 2019

folio.yvr
embr acing west coast
luxur y lifestyle
may 2019 issue 2

TABLE OF C
PERSONALITIES Andy Di
PHILANTROPY The Lambano Sa
CULINARY & COCKTAILS Drew Cooks! C
FASHION Angelo Caroli
TRAVEL
West
ARTS & CULTURE Anti
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be accurate as of date of publishing. FOLIO.YVR does not accept unsolicited materials.
Mailing address is c/ o Helen Siw ak, Suite A, 489 West 6th Avenue, Vancouver, BC, V5Y 1L3

ONTENTS
xon 6 / Christopher Bates 14
nctuary & Dr Pavlou Foundation 20
atering 28 / Dea Fortuna 30 / Armani/Casa 36
44 / Loewe 'Baskets' 54
Lake, China 60
fico Setificio Fiorentino 68
FOLIO.YVR is published monthly by EcoLuxLuv Com m unicat ions, is a sponsored supplement created by
EcoLuxLuv .com Com m unicat ions, and as part of client 2 services. All photography is ow ned by EcoLuxLuv
Communications unless indicated below . Queries regarding collaboration, sponsorship, marketing, consulting,
2
inclusion in FOLIO.YVR, should be directed to the publisher via hyperlink or text to 778.847.3011
Photos: Pg 7 Versace, Pgs 20-25 Lambano Sanctuary, Pgs 32-35 Dea Fortuna, Pgs 68-69, 73-74 Stefano Ricci

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Weddings at Fairmont Pacific Rim
Long Table Tasting Experience
Tala Florist Weddings
April 2, 2019
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Personalities
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Andy
Dixon
x Versace Home
x Sasha Bikoff
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A Special Exhibition in Via Gesù
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Andy Dixon is a Canadian fine-artist based in
sunny Los Angeles, whose works question the inherent
value in coveted luxury. He is particularly fond of
Flemish still-life, Versace silk shirts, and vintage
Playboy magazine spreads, resulting in a perfect storm
of culture, chaos, and appropriation. In his youth, Dixon
was an experimental electronic musician who turned to
painting?taking his inspiration from the eclectic and the
desirable?to a beautiful level of luscious irony.
S
asha Bikoff is an American interior designer whose
aesthetic inspirations range from New York City and
Miami where she grew up; to 18th century French
Rococo mixed with 1960s Space Age Modern, 1970s
French Modernism, and 1980s Italian Memphis Milano.
Bikoff has ?always felt a deep connection to Versace as
it embodies everything I believe in, a sense of fun and
freedom to be daring.?
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IThe legendary Gianni Versace began the Versace Home
Collection in 1992 with textiles, which was expanded to include
tableware through porcelain manufacturer Rosenthal. In 2019,
Versace Home is creating furniture, textiles, porcelain tableware,
wallpapers, wall coverings, ceramic tiles, bath accessories, and
more.
Dixon?s inaugural solo exhibition, held in New York called
Look at This Stuff Isn't It Neat, is the source of the artwork
displayed at the Versace palazzo on Via Gesù. In addition to
three of Dixon?s opulent over-scaled shirts (108?x84?) many of
his paintings were also translated into a patterned wallpaper.
The palazzo is a compilation of neoclassical buildings which were
constructed in 1782. In 1982, Gianni Versace began to purchase
structures on the site?ultimately creating a complex that is not
generally open to the public but during Milan Design Week, a
limited number of tickets were available each day for entry.
The night before the event launch, an exclusive dinner and sneak
peek was hosted by the dynamic trio and ELLE Décor
Editor- in- Chief Whitney Robinson. Guests included design
guests Matteo Cibic, Laura Sartori Rimini, Roberto Peregalli,
Julian Bedel, and Alan Richard. The following day, the Versace
team gifted Dixon a one-of-a-kind robe created exclusively for
him, the luxe fabric based on a collaborative design comprised of
nine Christie?s Auction House items.
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It was a heady experience for guests as they stepped into
the rooms of the palazzo. An abundance of Versace motifs
in candy swirl-like carpets caressed neon clouds, plexiglass
islands were topped with delicious furnishings, and rotating
Pop Medusa chairs completed the fantastical setting. The
effect was was luminescent, gorgeous, and so incredibly
unique.
Initially contacted regarding the collaboration via his
Instagram account, Dixon thought he was being set-up to be
catfished. Ready to leave for a day at his studio, he paused
to optimistically to perform a few Google searches and
found the sender was legitimately part of the Versace team.
The staff at the Joshua Liner Gallery coordinated the safe
transport of the show pieces to Milan, and now that the
annual exhibition has concluded, the pieces are being
returned to New York and their new owners. The ?Look at
This Stuff Isn?t It Neat?exhibit sold-out opening day,
so there are many patiently waiting for their Andy Dixon
originals to return and join their collections.
While there were many people to meet with during
his stay in Milan?designers, architects, artists, media?Dixon
shares that the ?absolute pinnacle was meeting Donatella...
collaborating with Versace Home was overwhelming,
exhausting, and invigorating...I had a great time!?
In September, catch Andy Dixon's newest creations at
the Over The Influence gallery in Hong Kong.
Subscribe to FOLIO.YVR and follow the Versace Home Collection
story from Via Gesù to Vancouver. In the meantime, we invite you
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to satisfy your craving for all things Versace at Major Interiors
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located at 300 West Pender Street.
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CHRISTOPHER BATES
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CONFIDENT
CANADIAN

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I t all started with a kiss and a
cheeky dress shirt that tattooed the name
?Christopher Bates?into our consciousness.
This singular quintessential design catapulted
Bates from novice to expert and launched a
business that consistently delivers
sophisticated yet edgy men?s wear in the
highest quality Italian fabrics.
Bates visited Vancouver in April for
back-to-back meetings and to oversee the
inclusion of his Spring/Summer 2019
collection in CF Pacific Centre?s Nordstrom.
Located in the centre of the upscale men?s
wear section of the third floor, the 40-piece
collection is striking in its tailoring, the
complementary colour choices, and the fabric
selection which ranges from lightweight
suiting to knits to cutting-edge technical
fabrics.
As we flip through the racks at Nordstrom, I
mention that many pieces in the new
collection would be easily marketed as unisex
and prompt him about creating a line for the
stylish woman who loves to wear men?s wear.
Bates says ?I?m very keen to start designing
my women?s wear line, but realistically it is
more a mid-term goal, as we still have much
work to do on expanding and streamlining our
men?s wear and footwear businesses.?
In 2014, Bates opened a design studio in
Milan primarily for sourcing and production
with the objective to create a high-quality
authentic ?Made in Italy?line. ?It has taken a
few years, but we now have an established
network of excellent suppliers.?
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He continues, ?we have sold to some great
stores in Italy? and we are working on
expanding throughout North America, and
possibly into China.?
He references an arts and fashion
entrepreneur trade mission, which saw Bates
travel to Hangzhou, China, last fall. ?It was
organized by RozeMerie Cuevas of
Jacqueline Conoir. It was a fantastic
experience, and I am very keen to expand my
brand to China, as she has done so
successfully.?
Toronto is once again his home base.
Returning to Canada was always part of his
business strategy so when the time came,
Bates was ready. ?I will miss the food, wine,
and climate the most. It was so easy to travel
around Italy and Europe being based there?
but I never mastered the Italian language
which made living there and doing business
quite difficult at times.?
What is on the agenda in 2019 for
Christopher Bates? There is no hesitation in
his voice as he answers. ?We will continue to
strive for excellence with respect to our
materials, production, and being a ?Made in
Italy?product. Next phase plans are to
continue to grow with our existing Canadian
accounts - Nordstrom, Harry Rosen,
Gotstyle, Espy - and to pursue expansion
into the US market with Nordstrom.?
Mic drop.

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Mask by Matteo Cibic
Salone del Mobile.Milano
Porta Est, Milan Fairgrounds,
Rho, Milan, Italy
April 9, 2019
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Philanthropy
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The Lamba
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no Sanctuar y
36 Senator Road
Malvern East, Germiston
Gauteng, South Africa
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In Gauteng, South Africa a team of twenty
dedicated medically trained staff provide full-time care for
children who live with life-limiting HIV and other threatening
illnesses. Theirs is a calling of dedication and sacrifice to
ensure the quality of treatment provided is the best that it
can be to children so limited in options.
Aged 9 to 19 years, the residents at the Lambano Sanctuary
receive the best medical treatment available, their mothers
take part in skills development initiatives, and fundraising is a
constant concern.
Market Researcher Melanie Prinsloo founded the Lambano
Sanctuary in 2001 in response to the HIV crisis and the
absence of facilities for orphans and children afflicted. In
2009, the first dedicated Paediatric Medical Step- down
Facility/ Hospice in Gauteng was opened and focused on
children who suffer from critical health problems including
HIV/TB; renal, cardiac, and brain damage; burns and
respiratory problems, genetic and neonatal defects; and
cancer.
In the past ten years, the non-profit sanctuary has achieved
success in caring for acutely ill HIV positive children and has
achieved a high reunification rate with family after discharge,
which is astounding given that many of the children admitted
were received for palliative care.
Under the guidance of CEO Lyn Croote, the Lambano
Sanctuary now operates four Forever Homes, caring for a
total of 28 children, surviving on the generosity of donors.
Over 16,450 km?s away, one such donor lives and owns a
thriving aesthetics medical practice in the heart of the
beautiful west coast city of Vancouver.
Dr. Christopher Pavlou is a medical doctor who is board
certified in medical aesthetics. South African-Greek by birth,
this vibrant and engaging entrepreneur has quickly cultivated
a select clinic clientele by being true to his refreshing
?Honour Your Beauty?philosophy.
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Skin Technique was launched in
December 2017 in Yaletown. Surrounded
by award-winning patios, boutiques,
and digital creative agencies, Dr. Pavlou
and his team offer a luxury clinic
experience in a beautifully designed
space, just steps from the city?s
trendiest spots.
A dedicated medical professional,
Dr. Pavlou is recognized by
multiple professional organizations
including both the Canadian and American
Associations of Aesthetic Medicine.
Recently chosen by Vancouverites as
Best Local Influencer in the annual
?Best of?awards in The Georgia
Straight, Dr. Pavlou found himself on
the receiving end of a steady stream of
platitudes and congratulations.
?My initial surprise was followed, quite
frankly, by a tinge of embarrassment.
I was sharing this accolade with
David Suzuki, yes, THE David Suzuki ?
brilliant environmental activist and one
of The Greatest Canadians of all
time, and Erin Ireland ? influential
food reporter
cooking pione
would ever c
same influen
them, it did g
what it really
?influencer.?
The creation
Foundation
contemplated
meant after r
in such a com
medical aesth
Born, raised, and educated in
South Africa, Dr. Pavlou worked in
the busiest paediatric ward in
Soweto. At the Baragwanath
Hospital, he would spend weeks and
sometimes months treating infants
and young children with
life-threatening illnesses.
Reflecting on these experiences, he
shares ?It always saddened me to see
how long after being nursed back to
health these children would have to
stay in the hospital while social
workers would frantically try to place
them in caring homes. Their parents
were often too poor or too sick
themselves to take care of their
children.?
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and plant-based
er. While I in no way
onsider myself in the
tial league as either of
et me thinking about
meant for me to be an
of the Dr. Pavlou
soon followed as he
the honour and what it
unning a new business
petitive industry as
etics. Dr. Pavlou realized
that ?nothing feels as good as making another person happy. And that is
how I choose to use this influence ? to do as much as I can, using the
opportunities I have been blessed with - to enrich the lives of people in
need and inspire those around me to do the same.?
The Lambano Sanctuary is near and dear to Dr. Pavlou?s heart, and in
December 2018, his new foundation made a second donation of $10,000 to
the South African non-profit which no longer receives government funding.
This generous donation will go towards the renovation of another property
close to the existing Forever Homes to provide additional treatment beds
and services to this most in need segment of the population.
"To go back to the country of my birth and make a donation to a cause so
close to my heart was not only emotional and overwhelming, but also
heartwarming and hopeful," Dr. Pavlou shares. "It filled me with gratitude for
the opportunities I have been graciously afforded in my life."
Please join the Dr. Pavlou Foundation in supporting
The Lambano Sanctuary. 24 Click here to make a donation. 25
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Culinary /
Cocktails
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Munich International Airport
Departures Level, Terminal 2
Nordallee 25, 85356
Munchen-Flughafen
April 13, 2019
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DREW
MUNRO
COOKS
#WHAT
Congratulations on winning 'Catere
2019 British Columbia Wedding Aw
With a focus on sustainability and d
menus, Drew Munro and the highly
Drew?s Catering & Events, are mind
and in providing incredible inclusiv
Whether it is serving coconut chia
breakfast, delivering an avocado to
al fresco at a long table event on a
and the food always delicious.
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VEGANSEAT
r of the Year' at the
ards!
developing broader plant- based
- skilled kitchen team at
ful of their environmental impact
e service and delicious food always.
pudding at an early morning corporate
ast bar for twenty, or serving 5- courses
mountainside, the team is professional
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Cherry Blossoms
West 6th & Yukon Street
Vancouver, BC
April 24, 2019
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DEA FORTUNA
& STEFANO RICCI YVR
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GOLDEN
GOOSE
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Behold the delicious The Golden Goose.
Conceived and crafted by Andrew Fletcher,
Operations & Creative Beverage Director of private
members club Dea Fortuna.
A gorgeous cocktail topped with edible flowers and
flakes of gold, and served in a slender coupette to
our VIP guests at the Stefano Ricci boutique in
Vancouver's 'Luxury Zone.'
With a base of fresh pressed lime, followed by
Yin Zhen syrup created with Pai Mu Tan tea from
the Fujian Province. Highly prized for its health
benefits and richness in vitamins, Fletcher procured
the perfect loose tea obtained from the
TWG Tea Salon on West Georgia Street under the
guidance from Lukas Cervenka, Salon Manager &
Tea Sommellier.
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The smooth crisp flavour of The Golden Goose
originates with especially batched for this Dea
Fortuna event - an unreleased Octavia 'Apple Pie'
Flavoured Vodka.
Six-times distilled to create a perfect balance; it is
completely free of additives, including sugar and
glycerin.
Stir for controlled dilution with ice, double strain into
coupe glass, and garnish with fresh edible flowers
and gold flake.

INGREDIENTS
1 oz Vanilla Essence
1 oz. Edible Flowers
.25 oz Fresh Pressed Lime
1.0 oz Yin Zhen Syrup
1.5 oz Octavia Apple Vodka
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SOUTHERN
SUNRISE
This light and sparkling version of the
Tequila Sunrise is pure west coast.
Our second drink of the evening was
also conceived and crafted by
Andrew Fletcher.
This cocktail is already a must-mix for
any get-together's on the terrace this
summer.
Add the raspberry puree to a Collins
glass, followed by the fresh pressed apple
juice.
Add the magnificent Clase Azul Plata.
This ultra-premium spirit is made from
organic agave and aged to perfection.
Stir until blended. Top with soda and
garnish with a slice of dehydrated apple.
The final drink is 10 ounces of pure
sunshine and packed with Vitamin C!
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INGREDIENTS
2 oz Raspberry Puree
4 oz Freshly Pressed Apple Juic
3 oz Soda
1 Slice Dehydrated Apple
1 oz Clase Azul Plata

e
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Armani/Casa Launch Event
Salone del Mobile.Milano 2019
Armani/Teatro,Via Bergognone, 59
Milan, Italy
April 8, 2019

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On a brisk April evening, less than
24-hours before the official launch of
Salone del Mobile, legendary design icon
Giorgio Armani presented his 2019
Armani/Casa collection in the spectacular
Armani/Teatro. The Brutalist space, created
by Japanese designer Tadao Ando in 2000,
was beautifully transformed to an intense
otherworldly environment.
As the event unfolded, Mr Armani, dressed
in signature all black, moved through the
invited guests, warmly greeting friends and
associates, pausing for photographs, and
welcoming introductions.
Around the room finely crafted objects of
wood, leather, marble, and metal, were
displayed in separate sections, without
clutter or overlap, reinforcing the strength of
the design.
Overhead, light filtered through a series of
remarkable aerial creations. In bright and
vivid tones of red, forest green and petrol
blue, the resulting luminescence was
breathtaking.
Accompanied by perfectly chilled
Champagne, the event was a soothing
prelude for Salon del Mobile.Milano, which
would begin the following morning by
welcoming 370,000+ delegates from 188
countries.
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Items displayed at the 2019 Salon del Mobile.Milano
will be available this Fall/Winter
at the new Armani/Casa located at
1656 West 2nd Avenue, Vancouver, BC.

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Fashion
Stazione Milano Centrale
Piazza Duca d'Aosta
Milan, Italy
April 10, 2019
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Angelo C
ITALY'S KIN
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aroli
G OF VINTAGE
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Everyone in business has to start
somewhere. For a teenage Angelo Caroli in
the mid-1970s, it was offering styling advice
on a local radio station which led selling
secondhand American denim and military
jackets at a hawkers market in the centre of
his hometown.
The awareness of the ?Made in Italy?lab
infancy, and with a youth population ent
music movement and 46 its rising stars Mad
Duran Duran, Caroli identified a niche to
money. This astute observation led to a
in resale, and soon he began making trip
the US east coast to acquire more highly
From hustling to owning and operating A
(a.k.a. Vintage Palace) in Lugo di Ravenn
table has grown to a glorious 4-story, 1,
palazzo bursting at the seams with vinta

el was still in its
hralled with the pop
onna, Wham, and
exploit for pocket
burgeoning business
s to visit family on
coveted goods.
.N.G.E.L.O. Vintage
a, Italy, his market
400-square-metre,
ge clothing.
The multi-purpose location has the first floor devoted to retail and
divided into men?s and women?s, and stocks hand-picked treasures in
various on-trend genres, bridal, accessories, and footwear. The stairs
to the second floor bring label aficionados to the most desirable luxury
designer handbags currently displayed by the colour palette in
beautiful vignettes.
It is further up those stairs, on the top two floors at Corso Garibaldi,
59, where the true devotee?s of style will have their breath taken
away. I was speechless from the moment the threshold was crossed. It
was akin to tumbling into a treasure chest stuffed with of
one-of-a-kind pieces by the most revered and respected designers of
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the twentieth century, and all touchable?unlike museum exhibitions.
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The A.N.G.E.L.O. Archive houses a
curation of garments from the 1800s to
the 1990s. Organized using two
systems ? the first by genre like
Victorian, Hawaiian, knitwear, military,
etc., and the second is alphabetically
designer name. The 120,000+ items are
not for sale but are available to be
rented for reference purposes (not for
personal wearing) and examined by
fashion professionals, researchers, and
publications.
Many of the archive garments have
been photographed by Helmut Newton,
Paolo Roversi, and Walter Chin.
American heritage designers
Calvin Klein and Ralph Lauren have
both made a pilgrimage to the Archive.
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A 1970s Pierre Cardin mod dress with
geometric appliqués, filed under ?C,?
catches my eye but I am quickly
distracted as the Archive Curator
presents a jacket from Alexander
McQueen?s ?Jack the Ripper Stalks
His Victims?Collection (1992) with a
sewn-inside ?relic?of the designers hair
in a plastic pouch, only to have my
attention sideswiped by a Chanel
jacket in lavender. This classic piece
was worn in the 1990s by Canadian 48
supermodel Yasmin Guari and then
gifted to iconic fashion journalist
Anna Piaggi by Lagerfeld personally.
A trailblazer in ethical fashion and
circular economy before it was
?fashionable,?Caroli is busy working on
a very exciting two-part expansion
project and collaborating with the

Politecnico di Milano and the University
of Bologna to digitize the current 120,000+
piece archive creating an online portal for
worldwide access, and the overseeing of the
relocation of the archive. Down the road,
renovations have begun at an abandoned
18th century building, the 'Orphanage delle
fanciulle' which consists of two regal stone
buildings (separate dormitories for boys and
girls) which are connected by a large
courtyard. When completed the Archive will
be easier for all interested to visiting.
Caroli?s desk is overflowing with fashion
magazines with tagged editorials featuring
items from the Archive. Celebrating
creativity, each flat surface and shelf is
packed with reference books, biographies,
catalogue clippings, and an impressive array
of vintage Hermès clothing and the iconic
orange boxes.
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A prized acquisition sits atop a shelf,
across from three vintage Hermès riding
capes. A 1938 travel tote, used initially
for transporting horse bridles and reins,
which was acquired from a 93-year old
Contessa in Montecatini.
During a closet buy, the Contessa
regaled Caroli with stories of how she
used the bag to travel from Argentina to
Italy after the Second World War.
Caroli explains that this ?bag is the one
that initially inspired the Kelly bag and
then the Birkin. Although the bag is a
little broken down, it is still valuable,
worth about 10,000? but I do not know
if or when I will sell it.? He smiles rather
enamoured with this rather non-descript
Hermès.
Those who visit to A.N.G.E.L.O. Vintage
will find stunning and rare vintage pieces
from the legendary design houses and
obscure designers. This incredible shrine
to vintage by famous European
designers with prices ranging from the
affordable to the atmospheric
depending on whether your new ?friends?
are named Moschino, Miyake, Pucci, or
Chanel.
Visit the A.N.G.E.L.O. Vintage
website and take a deep dive
into their amazing online
selection of luxury vintage!
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54

LOEWE
Quadrilatero d?Oro
Via Monteneapoleone 21
Milan, Italy
April 9, 2019
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The stone-lined streets of the Quadrilatero
d?Oro jostled with rushes of people - all trying to
get by those stopping to smoke a cigarette or chat,
others in the street dodging scooters and pedicabs.
Each in search of the next ?must-visit?location as
dictated in the Fuorisalone 2019 Guide - which
happened to contain 1,350 events.
Amidst this chaos, is the courtyard of Via
Montenapoleone 21. A quiet oasis of bamboo,
leather, stone, and silk, and home to the most
memorable exhibition at Milan Design Week -
luxury handbag designer Loewe?s ?Baskets.?
Visitors enter under a bent bamboo archway laden
with the brands in-demand straw totes, they
emerge to two rows of interpretative woven art
pieces and gently fluttering ecru quilts. The
stillness of the display soothes even the most
anxious, as the details of the items weaving,
calligraphy, and hand quilting, quickly mesmerized.
The exhibition is divided into Inspiration and
Collection, where displayed pieces celebrate the
different styles and techniques of a diverse
selection of artists and craftspeople.
Jennifer Zurick hails from rural Kentucky, the
AmaXhosa weavers are from Cape Town, with
others participating from Japan, South Korea, and
Ireland, each with an in-depth knowledge of their
disciplines and adding their distinct styles to the
project.
Two years in the making, the project is comprised
of eleven international artists. The installation is
the brainchild of Jonathan Anderson, Creative
Director of the Spanish luxury house, which invited
and encouraged the eleven master weavers to
create limited edition objets d?art using Loewe
leather.
Anderson sought to
artistic level after be
Loewe Foundation C
competition, at which
created large-scale w
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Loewe Spring/ Summ
Existing Loewe bags,
Gate, Cushion, and V
adapted and distorte
creating new silhouet
each.
Each piece a beautifu
techniques revered, a

elevate craft to an
ing inspired by the
raft Prize 2018
nominee Joe Hogan
oven pods for the
er 2019 show.
including Puzzle,
ertical Totes, were
d by the artisans
tes and functions for
l new look, born of
nd materials so old.
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Adventure
Charity Thrift Market
Piazza del Duomo
Florence, Italy
April 11, 2019
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WEST
LAKE
HANGZHOU
CHINA
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West of Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province,
retreat from the distractions of the city and
enjoy a refreshing day at this iconic and
inspirational destination where myth and
romance reside amidst forested hills.
First-time visitors to West Lake will experience
the sense that they have been there before
because its lush pagoda-dotted skyline has been
captured since the 9th century, first by artists
and then by photographers, who strove to share
with the world the classic and legendary beauty
of China.
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Along the shoreline, visitors
enjoy hot tea, fragrant roast
nuts, and skewers of glazed 62
strawberries as they meander
along willow trees on groomed
walkways. On the forest floor,
tiny birds and squirrels scamper
about, and out on the lake
hand-oared boats smoothly glide
along invisible paths known only
to the operators.

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Hired guides tell an ancient r
immortal White Snake of th
woman who fell for a mortal
God of the lake became jeal
her under a pagoda. Howeve
the her, ultimately the lovers
had a son.
The Lingyin 64 Temple is in a
between Fei Lai Feng and N
northwest of West Lake. In 3
monk named Hui Li found th
surroundings and built a tem
Monastery of the Soul's Re
In the 10th century, the tem
buildings, 18 pavilions, over
rooms occupied by 3,000 mo

omantic tale of the
e lake who became a
man. The Turtle
ous and imprisoned
r, the man still loved
were reunited and
long, narrow valley
orth Peak on the
26 AD, an Indian
is valley in quiet
ple and named it -
treat.
ple consisted of 9
72 halls, and 1,300
nks.
In 1961, West Lake became a key
provincial historical and cultural site, and
today it is a major travel destination,
known not only for the incredible amount
and size of its Buddha statues but for its
literary collections and the
Pharmaceutical Master Hall.
When you visit, ensure that you stay until FOLIO.YVR recommends finishing
evening, as the West Lake sunset is your day with a cup of Longjing
breathtaking. Our oarsman slowed to a green tea and sumptuous dinner at
stop as the sun began its rapid descent. the Hangzhou at West Lake Four
We were awe-struck as the sun slipped Seasons. The Jin Sha restaurant
into a nest of yellow and orange which has eleven private dining rooms and
became flaming red before disappearing offers an award-winning menu where
and all was blanketed in darkness. It was a traditional Shanghainese, Cantonese,
glorious albeit fleeting moment, and all but and local favourites flourish.
impossible to capture. 64 65
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West Lake is adjacent to the main
city centre of Hangzhou and easily
accessible from anywhere in the city.
Whether you chose a private car,
taxi, or the clean and efficient
subway, your travel time is less than
45 minutes.

Arts
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Official Seal of The Kremlin Palace
Antifico Setificio Fiorentino
Via L. Bartolini 4
Florence, Italy
April 11, 2019
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/ Culture
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Antifico Setificio Fi
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Via L. Bartolini 4
Florence, Italy
By Appointment Only
April 11, 2019
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orentino
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Beyond the iron gate at Via Bartolini
n° 4, under the shadow of abundant wisteria, the
Antico Setificio Fiorentino produces the finest
silk fabric in Italy, perhaps in the world. As our
town car departs, the Director of Communications
for Stefano Ricci, begins to graciously weave the
incredible and fascinating history of this business.
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We enter the coolness of the showroom,
heels echoing on the hardwood floor, and are
greeted with an incredible silence. The weavers
are on their mid-day break, so we dally in the
archival showroom. The wooden shelves are
laden with the most amazing fabrics and
ribbons, and the antique couches are decorated
with divine pillows and throws; samples of the
home décor that can be ordered during private
appointment.
A
o
T
h
se
E
(w
d
1
p

s the weavers return, the repetitive sound
f the looms begins to punctuate the air.
he adjoining workshop is home to six
andlooms dating from the 1700s and six
emi-mechanical looms from the 1800s.
specially incredible is a unique orditoio
arping machine) which stands upright,
esigned by Leonardo da Vinci and an
878 Benninger orditoio which is still in
erfect working order today.
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Throughout the centuries, the clientele of this
revered atelier has always been prestigious, beginning
with noble Florentine families, aristocratic Italian
families, growing in the 1800s to include European
nobility.
Today, under the guidance of Stefano Ricci S.p.A.,
the legacy of the looms continues as designers,
architects, and famous interior designers can satisfy
their client?s needs by creating their own custom
woven fabrics, both in colour patterns and yarn.
In Florence, from the Renaissance age onward, the
art of silk weaving flourished bringing prestige to the
city, wealth to its merchants, and reached its peak
during the era of the Medici. Around the middle of
the 1700s some of the noble families, including della
Gherardesca, Pucci, Bartolozzi, Corsini, and
Agresti, decided to establish a single location that
would house all their looms, patterns, and fabrics.
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THE FABRICS
Passed on through generation of families, the
antique fabric designs are kept today in the
Archive of the Antico Setificio Fiorentino.
Currently, the production includes a wide
range of Renaissance silk damasks, brocades
in silk, and linen from several centuries and
18th-century silk lampasses.
The quality of the fabric produced is
guaranteed by the various delicate phases of
workmanship including the hand dying and the
preparation of the antique looms. The absolute
lack of chemical treatments creates a
completely pure undamaged thread that
results in an unequaled resistance, texture,
and richness in colour.
In recognition of the importance of this
factory and to increase silk production, in
1780 the Grand Duke Leopold of
Lorraine donated several looms, one of
which we stood in front of observing
firsthand a remarkable demonstration.
Operated by foot-pedal with a manual
shuttle, the operator expertly completes
row after row. The deftness of the process
is fascinating and concurrently exhausting.
The patience and steadfastness of the
weaver displays a depth of attention lost in
our computerized world.
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Elisabetta Bardelli Ricci, General Manager
and the weavers of the Antico Setificio Fiorent
RESTORATION
The Antico Setificio Fiorentino has carried
out many important restoration projects
over the decades. The atelier supplied the
fabrics for the restoration of the Tribune of
the Uffizi Gallery in Florence, the curtains
of Palazzo Madama in Rome, the
Royal Palace of Denmark in Copenhagen,
Royal Castle of Sweden in Stockholm, and
the Grand Kremlin Palace in Moscow.
Additionally, numerous aristocratic Manors
used these fabrics to restore important antique
pieces with the reproduction of the precious
textiles, wholly made according to the old
techniques.
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ACQUISITION
In the middle of the 1950s, the atelier
flourished thanks to the acquisition by
Marquis Emilio Pucci and the other founding
families of the shareholding majority. A decade
ago, with the House of Pucci relocating their
business to France, the atelier was to be
converted to a museum.
My guide was approaching the highlight 74 of the
dramatic history of the atelier with the
introduction of its newest chapter ? how the
Stefano Ricci family became involved in the
Antico Setificio Fiorentino.
It began with a phone call to Mr. Ricci, during
which an invitation was extended to attend the
atelier for tea. Stefano jokingly refers to this
?as the most expensive tea he has ever had?
because, upon the completion of the visit,

ino
he had arranged to purchase the Antico Setificio Fiorentino
from the Pucci family. This single act of generosity secured
the livelihoods of the families and the looms to continue to
create the incredible silks used worldwide, not only for the
Stefano Ricci collections but the damask casula for Pope
Francis, suiting for Andrea Bocelli and Tom Cruise,
the jacquard tunic that Nelson Mandela wore to meet
Queen Elizabeth II, and all the textile interiors of
The Kremlin Palace.
In June, join FOLIO.YVR as we continue our Florentine adventure from
our base at the elegant Hotel Santa Maria Novella, in a showcase of
the silver workshop at the Stefano Ricci headquarters. A fascinating
spotlight on the expert silversmith who has created every piece available
in the Stefano Ricci boutique located in the 'Luxury Zone' at 1139 West
Georgia 74Street, Vancouver.
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"
W
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but when I first met with an i
?My name is Stefano Ricci, an
Florence?was more than
opportunity to better sell my
successfully with over 68, 69
to my city som
Ste

hen I started in 1972, no one knows me,
nternational department store, I would say
d I come from Florence.?This ?coming from
a business card and gave me a better
products. Now that the company is running
boutiques in the world, I must give back
ething to show my thanks.
fano Ricci
"
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