Gucci (Florence, Italy)

With Milan Fashion Week coming to an end, I thought it would be appropriate to blog about something Italian. And since I keep postponing some of the posts I had planned back when I visited Florence in late November, I figured now would be a good time to catch up. While most people will associate Milan with being Italy's fashion capital, many of the big names actually stem from Florence. Along with Ferragamo (previously featured here), Pucci and Cavalli, the biggest Florentine brand of them all is undoubtedly Gucci. Though I admit I've pretty much ignored the label since the departure of Tom Ford, and I love the monograms as much as I love the Louis Vuitton ones (i.e. not really), I somehow felt it would be appropriate to visit the only Florence flagship - under the assumption that the Gucci store in the company's hometown (where the headquarters are situated as well) was sure to be grand and special. Boy was I mistaken.

SS11 campaign (images: Gucci).

Now don't get me wrong, the Florence flagship is huge, easy to navigate and though popular with tourists, not cramped at all. The problem is that while current Creative Director Frida Giannini decided to renovate a select number of boutiques that would reflect her style, strangely the (in my mind) most important flagship in downtown Florence wasn't one of them. So even though her hometown of Rome and other cities such as London, NYC or Shanghai are graced with snazzy, ultra-modern and gilded Gucci stores, Florence is stuck with a rather bland example of what the flagships look like in every part of the world. In other words, it's not all that unique, but probably does reflect the Tom Ford era, so I shouldn't complain. Nevertheless, when in Florence, shop local brands and Gucci is as local as it gets.

Entrance area featuring a few UNICEF bags (previous collection).

Monograms galore. My favorite was the teddy bear.

Founded in 1921 in Florence by Guccio Gucci who initially conceived his company to cater to luxury luggage (much like Vuitton), the brand has since come a long way but still remains proud of its heritage marked by famous iconic features such as the bamboo handles, intertwined 'G' logos or the red and green stripes. Yet nothing makes Gucci prouder than emphasizing the artisan workmanship and while machines have replaced much of the stitching, certain elements are still handmade.

Scarves, scarves and watches.

'The Artisan Corner' where someone was embossing initials on a bag. Also visible: sketches and different leathers.

More monograms, including a few cute keychains. I'm assuming the woman above wanted a wallet.

To celebrate its legacy, Gucci launched 'The Artisan Corner', a traveling event started in 2009 that sees artisans assemble and finish some of the House’s most iconic handbags in temporary workshops within the store. Mood boards and sketches are showcased as well, giving customers insight into the creative and production process. Thankfully when I visited, the workshop had just arrived in Florence, so I was able to observe some very talented artisans hand-stitch handles or emboss customer initials on various leather bags.

More bags without the monogram, such as the reptile tote (right). Sunglasses make a cheaper souvenir (above).

Accessories and luggage for the gents.

The menswear section, consisting of several rooms.

Apart from that, the boutique was rather standard, almost reminiscent of a luxury department store. Elegant and sophisticated, but in a very low-key way, which means I can't recall any outstanding details regarding the decor aside from dark wood, polished surfaces and a few plush couches. On the upside, this did mean that my entire focus was on the product rather than the interior design. The store consisted of two expansive floors, with accessories, jewelry, bags and luggage occupying the lower ground, while the first floor held menswear, the women's range and shoes. Special edition collections, such as the UNICEF pieces were the first thing I saw when I entered and you'll find a huge range of anything else you're looking for throughout the store.

Some of the women's wear range, which included the chic fur jacket and sparkly skirt (left).

A selection of shoes and boots. How cute are the children's ballerinas (top right)?

More for the ladies, including the ostrich bag and chic accessories.

My favorites were the luggage (despite said monograms), shoes, the darker clothes which have also made their way into the current SS11 collection and pieces with the classic signature red/green adornment. Staff were very friendly and helpful and while tourists were all over the bags and accessories, the second floor was unusually quiet, which made browsing all that more pleasant. But as distracting as shoes and dresses can be, I kept finding my way back to 'The Artisan Corner', so if this comes to a flagship near you, I'd definitely recommend you take a look. Other than that, yes, go to this particular Gucci if only for the sake of celebrating a little bit of Florence fashion history (especially considering the company turns 90 this year), but you'll find their stores in all corners of the world and chances are, they'll look exactly like this one. If you want to spend money, going to their outlet outside Florence would be a better idea though. I might do a comparison post at some point, featuring either the revamped London or Rome store to demonstrate how glam some of the 'special' boutiques are. And of course, all Gucci items can also be browsed 24/7 via their official online shop.

Resort and SS11 collections (images: Gucci).

Address: Via dei Tornabuoni, 73, 50123 Florence
Opening Hrs: Mon-Sat: 10:00-19:00, Sun: 13:00-17:00
Official Gucci Homepage & Online-Shop

A Piedi Nudi Nel Parco (Florence, Italy)

I first came across this boutique during my visit to Florence a year ago. With a romantic store name, that translates to 'Barefoot in the Park', you would probably think of green grass, flowers and a few butterflies, but I'm guessing the owners were thinking more 'car park' than 'country park'. This isn't necessarily a bad thing, because the industrial vibe is what drew me to the store in the first place: a retail space that I suspect would attract the likes of Rick Owens or Ann Demeulemeester should they ever decide to shop outside their own wardrobes. Nestled in the heart of Florence amongst tourist kitsch, high street stores and luxury flagships, PN\P (as it's abbreviated) has two shops that cater to a more alternative crowd. Aside from a few international names, the focus lies on local indie designers with a goth/rock/avant-garde edge, but it's the store interior of the main boutique that stands out more than anything else.

Alessandra Marchi looks available at P\NP (images: PN\P)

Ilaria Nistri looks from P\NP (images: PN\P)

If you come across PN\P, chances are you'll see a few passersby pressed against the store window, gaping at the transparent glass floors which reveal the ground underneath. Not just your average retail space, PN\P is set among Roman ruins of the old city walls (visible in the basement area), while carefully preserved cloth-dying vats can be viewed under the flooring. If that's not enough to lure you in, the coffee and cocktail bar near the entrance will probably do the trick. The best thing? While you sip a cocktail or espresso, you can peruse the jewelry and accessories, which are conveniently located near the bar area. And more tempting wares, such as shoes and bags are located a few feet left of the bar... is there a better way to multi-task?

Overview of the bar area and the nearby jewelry counter (top, lower left image: PN\P)

Another view of the bar (left) and a few shoes, incl. a pair of booties placed on a giant leather glove (top).

The glass floor, which allows a view of the vaults beneath, while clothing hovers above it.

If you can pry yourself away from this part of the boutique, the rest is just as enticing. The entire store is kept in gray and beige, while the clothing mirrors this color scheme. Many of the clothes reminded me of the aforementioned Owens/Demeulemeester aesthetic: slouchy knits, draped leather jackets and asymmetric skirts were just some of the pieces I spotted. Everything was suspended from metal bars like works of art and a rack never held more than a dozen items. The very eager SA was quick to point out the Italian talent such as Alessandra Marchi, Ilaria Nistri or Marsell. Some brands were familiar (Comme des Garcons being one of them) while others were virtually unheard of and almost impossible to find elsewhere. Of course pricing was a little painful, but as you can guess, the quality and tailoring was impeccable and the majority of the pieces is very unique.

Another view of the ground level (top image: PN\P). A few splashes of color among the black (left) and a very interesting leather tie (right).

More clothing (left), but don't forget the accessories, incl. large statement necklaces (top) and patterned scarves (bottom).

I also ended up taking a quick peek at the basement area, which despite being underground was almost brighter than the ground level. The menswear section was prominently displayed, but I sighted a few more pieces for the ladies on racks along the wall. And with its rustic colors, this section was almost homey.

More cool stuff, such as leather jackets, boots and a funky red hat.

A look at the basement level (top image: PN\P). For men who like their bling (left).

Arched doorways and high ceilings give the basement an airy atmosphere (left). Jeans and sweaters along a wall (right).

Thankfully I didn't feel like spending a ton of money the day I visited, or else I would have done some serious damage (though beware: there is an online store). Nevertheless, shoes, bags, scarves and some very funky jewelry provide for excellent gifts if you ever need a unique Italian souvenir that lasts longer than the chocolates and biscuits I wiped out within a few days (yum). And even if you're not wanting to spend anything, the incredible interiors are almost as worthy of a browse as the nearby museums.

Looks from Cora Groppo (left three), Lost & Found (center) and M.A+ (right. All images: PN\P).

Address: Via del Proconsolo Angolo/Via Dante Alighieri, 50122 Florence
Opening Hrs: Mon-Sat: 10:00-20:00, Sun: 11:00-19:00
A Piedi Nudi Nel Parco Official Homepage & Online Shop

Impressions of Florence (Italy) - November 2010

Greetings from Florence! Those of you who've been reading this blog a little longer may remember that I visited this beautiful Italian city a year ago. My previous impressions can be found in this post. While Florence isn't huge and I always end up taking similar photos of the city during every visit, I thought I'd share some of my more recent images with you here. What I have noticed during this trip, aside from the lower temperatures (though this is the case for most of Europe at the moment), was that the town seems to be more Christmassy compared to previous years - but thankfully nowhere near as commercial as other places I've seen.

View of Florence taken from Ponte Vecchio.

As always, I'm doing what one should do while in Italy: stuffing myself with food, drinking too much coffee and indulging in a little window shopping (no purchases yet). Posts dedicated to retail therapy will follow of course, but for now I'll focus on the more scenic aspects... and a few tasty treats.

The South Bank across the river.

The city streets lit up with Christmas lights.

Florence's most famous building: the Santa Maria del Fiore cathedral.

The best place to be, if you have a sweet tooth. Yummy treats include chocolates, cantucci, biscotti, panettone and Sicilian cannoli.

Some of the city's landmarks as seen from across the river.

A very ornate street lamp taken at the junction below.

Prime shopping location in the heart of the city.

More Italian delights, such as Parma ham, cappuccino/espresso and homemade gnocchi.

Just off Ponte Vecchio.

Piazza del Signora and Palazzo Vecchio with some of its surrounding statues.

The grand via de Tornabuoni with its historic buildings and luxury boutiques.

The majestic arch leading away from Piazza della Repubblica.

More Tuscan landscape.

It may be cold... but at least your ice cream won't melt. Ice lollies and gelato galore.

On top of the world: rooftops and hills around Florence.

Salvatore Ferragamo Boutique (Florence, Italy)

Luxury flagships in cities tend to be grouped along one or a few large shopping streets - in the case of Florence, this street is Via dei Tornabuoni, where as one journalist once described, you'll find designer stores trying to 'outflagship' each other. Like most luxury streets, it's difficult to focus on just one boutique, because each one is trying to look more glitzy and spectacular than its neighbor. Florence is home to a large number of local fashion heroes, including Gucci, Cavalli and Pucci who all hail from the Tuscan capital, but if you had to give an award to the biggest, grandest and most eye-catching flagship of them all, Salvatore Ferragamo would win the prize.

Store windows showcasing replicas of the Judy Garland shoe and matching dresses (left and lower row). Side-view of the impressive Palazzo (center) and the grand main entrance (top right).

The Ferragamo store isn't just a shop, but housed in a castle - the Palazzo Spini Feroni - which was bought by Salvatore himself in 1938, having set up his workshop there 10 years prior when his company was officially founded. Before settling in Florence in 1927, he had already made a name for himself in California where he designed footwear for movie productions and some of Hollywood's biggest stars, including Audrey Hepburn, Rita Hayworth or Sophia Loren to name a few. I won't go into the entire Ferragamo history, but what fascinated me the most about this guy, was the fact that he didn't just focus on creating beautiful well-made shoes, but actually made great efforts to ensure they were comfortable. In fact, he was so distraught when he learned how painful heels could be, that he studied anatomy at the USC where he learned that the weight of the body fell upon the arch of the foot. Applying this knowledge to shoe design, he subsequently invented some of the most popular heel shapes today, whether it's the wedge, the cage heel or the metal-reinforced stiletto made famous by Marilyn Monroe. Even though he wanted to move away from the Hollywood label that was given to him, he never stopped being a favorite among stars. After his death his oldest daughter took over the creative direction, designing the popular Vara shoe, while his widow ran the company releasing clothing, bags and accessories under his name. To this day, the company is still very much a family-owned business run by Salvatore's wife Wanda and his children.

Images of the museum's interior which include original foot models of famed Hollywood stars and photographs, such as the one featuring Audrey Hepburn (images: Salvatore Ferragamo).

You'd expect a brand with this much heritage to put a little thought into their headquarter flagship and it's definitely an experience. Even though it may look too imposing to enter, once you've stepped through one of the many doorways (there are at least four different entrances), you do feel welcome despite the opulence of the store interior. It's both a tourist attraction and a boutique, as the Ferragamo museum is housed in the basement, where for 5 EUR you can peruse the vast archives of original shoes dating back to the 20s and foot models of famous Hollywood actresses such as Greta Garbo or Ava Gardner. You'll also find the famous Vara color wheel and a lot of history and photography on the brand and its founder. Even if you decide not to visit the museum, you'll get a fair share of Ferragamo history thrown your way. The first boutique room I entered was the 'concept store', an area where you could purchase revivals of historical shoes and iconic bags that are entirely hand-made using the original constructions and leathers. All of these are available in limited quantities, but if you ever fancied the colorful wedges that were created for Judy Garland, you can get your own version of the shoe and perhaps even a bag to match it.

The 'concept store' which stocks the 'creations' range based on vintage pieces from the Ferragamo archives. Love that the carpet featured little shoes as well.

Photos of Salvatore, his workshop and his famous clients were strewn all over the boutique, just in case you do forget the company history. All of this added to the experience you were walking through time and enforced the idea that this brand was one that relies on impeccable craftsmanship and family tradition. The boutique was laid out with interconnecting rooms, covering the entire store area on the ground floor. The next sections were dedicated to a few RTW clothing items - I didn't recognize any as being from the runway collection, so I'm not sure which range they belonged to. The adjoining room had a few more shoes, bags and accessories, but if you really want to look at heels and boots, it's the main footwear section you should head straight to.

Clothing and accessories in the adjoining room, incl. a few cute items with the shoe logo.

This area was huge and made every shoe store I had visited in the past (whether it was Zanotti or Louboutin) look like a tiny closet space. If you hadn't noticed the high ceilings, medieval arches, hand-painted frescoes and marble pillars before, you probably will now. Chic black leather sofas were everywhere... as were the shoes, which occupied shelves along each wall in this vast hall. Even though I'm not a Vara or Varina type of girl, I can appreciate the quality and design of every shoe and there was a good balance between the old-world sophisticated chic of the classic models and the more modern creations that used laser-cuts, sequins and snakeskin. Long famed for working with materials such as raffia or cork which no one else used at the time, the company still does well applying innovative materials and shapes to their footwear.

The main shoe area featuring various versions of the Vara & Varina and countless other heels, boots & flats. Bags can be found here as well.

The two side-rooms I poked my head in housed a greater selection of RTW clothes, this time from the runway collection. I liked some of the chunkier knits and evening dresses, but to be honest, a lot of the suits, skirts and trousers were really not my style and were a tad too matronly for my taste, though I'm sure they're a big hit among the wealthy Italian society ladies. For more ladylike chic, the scarf room proved to be quite popular among tourists who wanted to take home a souvenir and could choose among a nice selection of silk foulards, knit scarves or cashmere stoles.

More women's wear and an impressive ceiling fresco.

The colorful scarf room.

Leaving this section the next areas were all dedicated to menswear with shoes once again taking center stage. The shirt and tie sections were quite impressive as well, and leather goods such as travel bags, belts, wallets and briefcases could all be found in adjoining areas.

Men's shoes, bags, shirts and accessories.

The grandest of these rooms was dedicated to men's clothing, which once again showcased the beautiful arched ceilings with their past-century inspired decorations. Menswear seemed to be slightly less conservative with sports jackets, knit sweaters, wool coats and leather outerwear making up most of the collection.

Men's RTW area with its beautiful ceilings...

This is definitely a great place to go if you're a fan of fashion and fashion history. With newer shoe brands taking the limelight, I had briefly forgotten Ferragamo's impact and importance in the footwear and fashion industry in general. This was a nice reminder of where many of these trends had come from and how timeless or relevant these creations still are. A peek into the museum is recommended, yet even without this extra tour, you are sure to relive the Ferragamo heritage just by browsing the historic flagship.

Selection from Ferragamo's FW09 collection (images: style.com).

Some of Ferragamo's iconic shoes throughout the years, incl. the cork wedges, cage heel and raffia sandal (left and center column), as well as two shoes from the current season, such as the snakeskin platform and cut-out bootie (far right).

Address: 4r-14r Via dei Tornabuoni, 50123 Florence
Opening Hrs: Mon: 14:00-19:00, Tue-Sat: 10:00-19:00
Salvatore Ferragamo Homepage & Online-Shop (IT, UK, US only)