On Thursday 11 July 2024, in the sublime setting of the Poggio Casciano Estate in Chianti, my book 'Crafting Excellence' was officially launched.

Enveloped in a thousand emotions, we gathered with the friends, partners, and craftspeople who have made 'Crafting Excellence' possible; we enjoyed the magical summer sunset over the vineyards, sipping Ruffino 1877 wine and leafing through the freshly printed pages. The voices of cicadas and the summer breeze mingled with the clink of glasses toasting in front of the enchanting Chianti hills.

The Symposium event had exceptionally brought together all members of the SdB international network, including the team and core partners. Hence, in the days following the event, I accompanied the innermost circle on a sublime immersive experience throughout Florence, to open their minds and hearts and witness with their eyes (and with the palate!) what we stand and work for every day for! The first threshold we crossed was the one of the Maselli atelier in Via de’ Ginori, one of the beating hearts of Florentine Excellence from 1955.

An ode to well-made and consistency in detail. The outfit chosen for ‘Symposium’ was the result of a further combination of Excellences: stories of four #MadeInItaly realities.. plus one, an intimate and personal one, that I cherish in my heart.

A precious archive dress handcrafted by Antonella Rossi Atelier, unique earrings from the collection of Roman goldsmith Rossella Ugolini and the most exquisite pendant, inspired by one of Botticelli’s Graces, by Paolo Penko.

The exquisitely Renaissance-inspired hairstyle and make-up were created by the Eleonora Gentile Firenze Salon, a further Excellence to close the circle.

On September 30th 2023, in the sublime frame of Palazzo Portinari Salviati in Florence, I organised the first edition of 'Symposium' by SprazzDiBellezza.

A private, intimate, beautiful experience shared with just a few people, with whom I am bonded by the, almost obsessed, desire for living immersed in Beauty and making life a work of art!.

Surrounded by a unique exhibition of works from the Florentine ateliers Cornici Maselli , Mosaici Traversari and Paolo Penko, with a glass in one hand and a 'cantuccio' in the other, wearing their best attire, guests bonded with each other, living an extra-ordinary immersive experience and strengthening this valuable community.

The Westin Excelsior Hotel, living witness of the sweet “Dolce Vita” of Via Veneto and the Turin-based maison of timeless perfumes Tonatto, created a sublime olfactory gallery that retraces a century of iconic cinema and makes it a whole new experience by making us 'feel' the smell of those scenes in the iconic lobby of the Roman Hotel!

This opening event was a true homage to the past grandeur, inviting guests to indulge in the sights, scents, tastes, and sounds of a bygone era we are all nostalgic about, ensuring that the spirit of the “Dolce Vita” lives on within the walls of the Excelsior Hotel.

It's May 06th 2023; it's a rainy day in London, yet this doesn't stop the trumpets, shots fired, bells and notes of God Save the King echoing through the city. For those of us who observe from afar, it is the first time in history that we are allowed to observe everything.. really every-thing, down to the smallest of details, the subtlest of gestures. This is why, together with Maria Francesca Broggini, expert gold embroidery artisan, we can focus on the extreme Beauty of embroidery techniques applied to each component of the ceremony, along with their traditional (and very personal!) symbolisms!

A sublime collaboration between two historical Florentine realities could only lead to an equally superb creation of sublime refinement. On Friday 19th of May, now in its nineteenth edition, the Premio Galileo 2000 awarded 7 splendid prizes to illustrious personalities in the fields of culture, science, economics, art and music.

It is my duty to honour such a masterpiece of Florentine craftsmanship, created by four hands between the master goldsmith Paolo Penko and the looms of the Antico Setificio Fiorentino, two pillars of the artistic heritage of the city of Florence.

Villa Wolkonsky is one of the many secret oases dotting Rome; a precious, hidden, treasure chest, usually inaccessible and unknown, which I had the privilege of accessing thanks to the FAI (Italian Environment Fund) during the “FAI spring days”.

Villa Wolkonsky is not only a place of incredible historical and architectural value, with its enchanted park full of treasures; for somebody, it is home..

On a January afternoon kissed by a warm winter sun, I walked along the Villa Ada boundary wall until the beautiful Parioli neighborhood, where I reached Serena de Fiore's slow fashion atelier.
Between a pastry and a chat, the friends and entrepreneurs Serena de Fiore and Anna B. introduced us about their lines; two different but complementary fields, fashion and skincare, yet linked, both by the inescapable personal history of two cultured and refined businesswomen and, above all, by the hand-crafted nature and meticulous research.

Princess Blanceflor Boncompagni Ludovisi was one of the many female figures of the past who has enabled us today to add a piece to our cultural development as a society; it was she who donated her home to the State to be maintained and used 'exclusively for artistic and cultural purposes of public utility'.

Thanks to FAI (Italian Environment Fund), the doors of the Museum B. Ludovisi were opened for a “FAI Family Day”, where even young guests were introduced to this beautiful piece of their heritage, with an extra-ordinary twist on Italian haute-couture.

Not all love stories are romantic and have a 'happily ever after' happy ending; some loves are destructive.
I am fond that you all know the story of the Trojan War, caused by an impossible love between Paride, Prince of Troy, and Elena, wife of Menelaus, King of Sparta.
Yet, do you know, according to the myth, what actually caused this obsessed love to such an extent that war broke out?
I have the pleasure to share this story with you through the latest precious creation by Federica Tessari: 'Alla più bella' [To the most beautiful] is the title of her latest, brilliant, wax creation, named after one of the most famous stories of Greek mythology.

I had the privilege of experiencing the behind the scenes of one of the most prestigious porcelain collections in the world: hold an item of Flora Danica and you hold a witness of Danish heritage in your hand.

By the moment you receive your piece of Flora Danica, it has passed through 30 pairs of hands. Artisans perform their savoir faire with delicate, methodical and sublime gestures that only true craftsmanship can offer!

For 59 years now, Royal Copenhagen's sumptuous flagship store, at number 6 on Copenhagen's central Amagertorv square, has hosted a Christmas exhibition that attracts visionary visitors and enthusiasts from all over the world. This 59th edition was the first I saw with my own eyes, accompanied though a delightful private tour to experience each 'Christmas Table' up close.

Diaries of three magnificent days in Florence with Artigianato & Palazzo; amidst the labyrinths of hedges and rose gardens, in the sublime frame of Palazzo Corsini, more than 90 master craftsmen of yesterday and today came together to showcase their savoir-faire. A riot of Beauty in all its facets to converse about with fascinating people, while strolling through a place steeped in profound inspiration.

…from slow fashion & heritage brands I wore at #ArtigianatoePalazzo in Florence.

Before and during the three-days visit at the XVIII edition of #ArtigianatoePalazzo, I loved the process of choosing every element that would combine beautiful, sophisticated and consciously handmade looks, that would perfectly match the timeless galleries and gardens of Palazzo Corsini.

"Almost” disappeared, because one of the very few artisans in Italy left to carry on this technique is Maria Francesca Broggini, founder of Aembrosia, a very young and talented Italian craftswoman, who preserves and interprets the savoir-faire of gold embroidery by applying it to haute couture jewellery and luxury hair jewellery.

On the occasion of World Bee Day 2022, I am partnering with the small & slow family beekepers company MELICERA, who, under the Greek sun, produces bee products according to the technique of sustainable nomadic beekeeping: the most healthy and rich form of beekeeping.

Scroll the article to discover the 4 top bee products to introduce in your daily routine and use a special DISCOUNT on the MELICERA website from today until 30.05 on their award-winning and selected products.

The name of Gabriele Maselli is just as known as Via d’ Ginori, the street in which his father, Paolo, founded the bottega in 1955: just name "Il Maselli" and any Florentine would start daydreaming and telling about how his/her family keeps one of Maselli’s wooden frames in their livingroom.

A beautiful, Scottish woman, who embraces and nurtures her culture and her heritage to the point of creating such an inspiring reality: contemporary textile designs supported by centuries of tradition and expertise, built by the wisdom of the hands and the warmth of the heart and soul.

Nevin Altmann is a story of pure beauty, determination and innate love for heritage and people.
I had the rare privilege of hearing, touching and observing this story with my own eyes during my recent trip to Egypt, on the deep blue shores of the Red Sea.
Getting to know a complex reality closely linked to the local community is a precious opportunity for personal growth, as it represents a source of knowledge of social and cultural aspects that otherwise I would have certainly missed during my trip.