Pedro del Hierro

In 1974, a new designer burst into the Spanish panorama. He was Pedro del Hierro, a youth of 24 years native of Madrid, son of an Art Professor and a housewife who didn't want his son used his extraordinary talent to design dresses.His refined taste and his elegant and feminises designs have seduced to a lot of women, even aristocratic people. In fact, Pedro del Hierro is one of the designers who has dressed to more Real Houses. As I wrote for Purificacion Garcia, a trip to Spain is always worth it!

Fashion find

Margaret Nicole Large Cableknit Cotton Tote
$265.00

www.goodtobeyou.com

Gianna Meliani: Fabulous Italian shoes

Those of you who flip through fashion magazine pages surely recognize the trademark name of Gianna Meliani, a stylist of shoes for women whose products are often photographed and presented as amongst the most beautiful and original accessories. Gianna Meliani is a company that is family conducted since 1983, the year of its birth and has conquered the international market and in the top ranks of the fashion Olympics. Why should one buy these shoes? For various reasons: they are of outmost quality, in that the most prestigious leather is used, they are trendy and they are not the typical shoes one sees in the thousands of stores; they are foremost: original. Sandals and boots are found in thousands styles and forms: low heels, high heels in various ways, ....... shoes, with beads, and inserts of flowers, butterflies and that "one of kind" look that each women has to own!

You can find the GM shoes online at www.fashionrome.com.

Red carpet dresses

The red carpet is a magnificent occasion to show-off the most beautiful of dresses, those that ordinary people cannot afford, some more economic motives, some for the lack of invitations to worldy and VIP events. Those from "the other side of the track", that is the divas and divettes of showbiz, on the other hand, can afford same. So, between ceremonies, exclusive parties and previews, they are seen all wrapped up in dream outfits signed by world reknown stylists and designers. However, this is not the absolute rule for everyone. In many not so rare occasions, in fact, instead of spraying glamour, they sparkle only hilarity.
Just by looking at the gallery, one can view several examples of mise that took a turn for the worst. Beginning with Pamela Sue Anderson found entrapped in a jumpsuit of the type "I have just finishing painting the house", with a very open low-cut front, giving a wide and generous view of her silicone wonders. Following are the aspiring glazed punk looks. Here we are talking about Avril Lavigne, who played the bad girl for a longest time, and now, this female singer alternates combat boots, studs and chains, with a traditional look. It happend when Avril got married in the most classic of dresses, long and white, with veil.... but, Avril how can you abandon the punk look (or what you thought was the punk look) to be for a day like Brook of the soap opera "The Bold and Beautiful"? Honorable mention goes to the ever-ultra-flashy daughter

of Ozzy Osbourne, Kelly.

Made in Italy around the world

The Principate of Monaco, Japan, Argentina and India. The Made in Italy brand has conquered continents with new stores which include famous and well-reknown Italian designer labels. In the exclusive realm of Monaco, within the extra-luxury shopping center named Metropole, an inauguration was held for the 100 square meters dedicated to the sale of collections of various types of designer labels of the Blufin group: Bluamarine, Blugirl and Anna Molinari. In India in the city of New Delhi, one can find in the boutique (200 square meters) the designer label of Corneliani, a fashion logo that envisions elegant and luxurious fashionwear for men. Valentino insteads focuses on the South American market and opens his first sales outlet in Latin America, Argentina, in the city of Buenos Aires on the Avenida Alvear. The 120 square meter space of the store hosts male and female dresswear collections of Valentino and Valentino Roma. And now, from fashion to jewelery. Damiani has just opened its doors to its newest, most precious boutique in Japan. After Tokyo and Osaka, now it is Fukuoka that from today will become part of the expansionist plan of the Maison of Jewelery

Lapo and the 1000 Euro sunglasses

The eyeglasses are the first of the products of the project Italia Independent, the designer label "nomadic and dynamic" that starting today are on sale to propose the materialization of "products that are unique and innovative", dedicated to, as Lapo himself described, "to all of those that refuse the homologation of the masses, that want to be free, and live without the fear of showing who one really is".
To obtain the eyeglasses, wear them and become "independent", once confirmed the order via internet or in the exclusive stores where they are sold, one has to attend three months. The cost is of Euro 1,007.00. For the producers, the price justifies the cost for the fact that each individual pair of eyeglasses is exclusive and unique, is produced with forty-seven layers of carbon, and are manually assembled.

Looking into the interior of the new Taschen SoHo store

After Beverly Hills and Paris, Philippe Stark has put his signature on the most beautiful and intriguing interiors of the new concept store Taschen, in New York. The particularity of the surroundings created consist of brightly colored walls from the Brazilian artist Beatriz Milhaze, according to the actual trend to recur to the estro of young and creative artists, to personalize projects or products, even in the retail industry as in this case.

Lapo Elkann is back

January 10 is the public and official date of entry for Lapo Elkann. On this same day is the opening day of the 71st Edition of Pitti Immagine Uomo, the scion of the Fiat dynasty has presented to the press his latest creation: "Italia Independent".In the space of the prestigious fashionstore LuisaViaRoma of Florence, Lapo presented the first creations of his project, in which he has dedicated himself to overcome the crisis successive to the scandal which found him involved just barely over a year ago. "This label - declared Elkann - intends to generate products that are out of standards, capable of giving a dream to persons. I intend to give innovation along with tradition. All that I will create will be made in Italy. The company will be in Italy and the products will be produced in Italy." The first creation of Italia Independent will be a line of eyewear, with the name I-I, created exclusively with the personal funds of Lapo, and seemingly the eyewear was created, over the last few months, with the precious advice of friend Tom Ford. The eyewear will prevalently be sold via web, but can also be found in the corners of the most prestigious stores worldwide, beginning from LuisaViaRoma of Firenze. P.S This note is specifically for those not familiar of the mishap of the scion of the Agnelli dynasty...overdose and trans and worse of all, getting caught!

Teatime at the Grand Hotel

5:00 teatime at the Grand hotel: a custon which is becoming more diffuse amongst stars and a rite to rediscover, these are the right address, around the world for the best tea break.

In London with VIPsRecently it has won a prize as the best tearoom in Great Britain. More British than this, one cannot absolutely desire: a veiled atmosphere, discreet waiters and amongst the clients, VIPs like Madonna. This tearoom is located at the Hotel Claridge's (Address: Brook Street, tel. 0044/20/76298860) and offers more thirty excellent quality teas which are accompanied by sandwiches, along with fresh cream and their famous tea jam. Background music is provided with live violin and piano. The cost for the complete service is of Euro 45,00 and reservations are highly recommended.In Paris after shoppingA classic for elegant Parisians: after the severe shopping frenzies, between place Vendôme and rue Saint-Honoré, one can stop for a well-deserved break in the Jardin d'Hiver (Winter Garden) of the Hotel Meurice (Address: rue de Rivoli 228, tel. 033/144581010). The afternoon tea is served under a large glass cupola, in a surrounding Art Nouveau style atmosphere, amongst splendid palms, mirrored doors and huge windows. A vast selection of rare tea flavours are to be enjoyed with pastry cakes for a cost that begins at Euro 30,00. In Milan with the hourglassEveryday, between 3:00 - 5:30 p.m., at the bar of the Hotel Principe di Savoia (Address: Piazza della Repubblica 17, tel. 0262301) one can take a magnificent journey through the aromas and tastes of tea. In the menu there are cited twenty-four types: from the Green Dragon, with the leaves shaped with a form of a dragon, to Wild Cherry with the astonishing taste of wild forest cherries. At the table, there will arrive canapé, small pastries and a special hourglass to keep under control the time of the infusion. The complete formula costs Euro 25,00.In Sydney for the fashion showsThe latest novelty instead comes from the Park Hyatt Hotel (Address: Hickson Road 7, tel. 0061/292411234), which overlooks the splendid Opera House, where the days of the Prêt-à-Porter fashion shows have recently begun. In this manner, while one is sipping tea, tasting the in-house pastries, one can contemporarily witness the fashion shows. The price is approximately Euro 32,00. In Venice amongst silverTeapots in fine Schönwald porcelain, silver candlesticks, profumed candles, fresh flowers and overall, a majestic view of the lagoon. The Venician Salon of the Romantik Hotel Metropoli (Address: Riva degli Schiavoni 4149, tel. 0415205044), has a most particular charm and is also a member of the Italian Tea Club. More than thirty types of green tea and black, rigorously in leaf, but also tisanes and infusions that are proposed together with mini-sachers and sweets made of almond and carrots. The prices start from Euro 6,50.

Gattinoni in Kiev

The maison Gattinoni partecipated, in the guise of guest of honor and as Ambassador of made in Italy, at the Crystal Silhouette, the most important Ucranian fashion system event.
The Made in Italy , a composition of elegance and refinement came to Kiev on December 16th on occasion of the prestigious event Crystal Silhouette. The ambassador of Italian fashion was Maison Gattinoni, guest of honor of the kermesse, who presented his Spring\Winter 2007 Pret a Porter collection, designed by the creative director of the Maison, Guillermo Mariotto. The event took place at the National Palace Ucraine, one of the most important buildings in Kiev, under the edigy of the Confederation of Designers and Stylists of Ucraine. This event was perhaps the most important annual appointment of the Ucranian fashion-system and saw partecipating approximately onethousandtwohundred invitees, who were for the large part, buyers, press and guests. The entire Gattinoni collection was a mix between sartorial creations and particular choice of chrome colors, a true and real homage to love and the woman who is seen as a creature that does not renunciate to her lifestyle, seduction, glamour and provocation, as requested by the day by day dictat.

Bunch of bones

With the conclusion of the festivities and grand eating sessions of the Christmas season, hordes of dieticians have hastened to the editorial offices of newspapers and news stations to tell us that we have all gained at least 2 kilos and propose diets that "repair" the damage done. If however, while crunching on a celery stalk or nibbling on a whole-wheat cracker, if someone has happened to flip pages of some international gossip magazines one cannot help but notice that all the stars have escaped the destiny that is fat during the holiday season.
Favored by the climates of California and the nearby Caribbean Islands, many celebrities have put on their bikins and bathing suits and headed off to the beach. Where they showed off... a nice bunch of bones. Like the British Keira Knightley, that underneath her white and red striped bikini showed off jutting elbows, shallow shoulders, a very visibile ribcage and a sculputured abdomen.Or the much talked about Kate Moss, that amongst her many doubts of the validity for her upcoming marriage with Pete Doherty and the requests of her agency to rejuvenate her look with some injections of botox, with indifference, went topless. It is a true shame that the enthusiasts who viewed this unedited vision were for the most part turned off by her very guant figure. In conclusion, not to mention a very tight diet also for the surfist Orlando Bloom, that when he took off his wetsuit exhibited pectorals that are certainly of worthy note, but with a chest that revealed was way too lean, so much so, that one could count how many ribs he has.

Rhome in Rome

The new club situated on the historical Roman piazza was conceived to become the king of the night. The RHOME, name of which is a fusion of Rome and Home has aggregated the market with the formula restaurant, apertifs and after-hours. Its success was immediate.
Its interior design is very carefully made, even the details, one can easily characterize the game of the contrasts of black and white, with touches of red, made with the presence of the extremley soft leather FRAU armchairs. The club is made up of almost 400 square meters, and is luminous and airy. It is situated on three floors in which it is surrounded by large glass panes and geometric lamps. The most outstanding piece of the furniture of the club is the bar counter which is lined with white leather where one can have an apertif or an after dinner drink. Candid, comfortable sofas are easily found and ideal for relaxing, as in one's own home.
A rich menu and a vast selection of wines with competitive prices are available.
After dinner, RHOME is transformed into a gathering point that is very sought after by VIPs and "very cool" people, from the dinner tables to the central dance room where one can dance to the music of D.J. Francesco Pesarini playing out lounge house, commercial and revival!
A particular note which many have found enticing: inside the RHOME there is a floor dedicated to smokers, where one can enjoy cigarettes and\or cigars with leisure.

Piazza Augusto Imperatore 46, Rome

Phone: + 39 0668301430

Salma and "Hotel Campari"

Beautiful, sensual, refined, she moves with elegance and provocation in the world of Hotel Campari, ready to make you live twelve months of true passion. Salma Hayek, the stunning Mexican actress with Lebanese blood, was picked as protagonist in the eighth edition of the Campari Calendar. A perfect interpretee of the Campari image, Salma is a true symbol of sensuality, as well as the inspirational muse of an authentic and strong character.Photographer of the publicity campagin, Mario Testino captured these images and successfully united the icon of feminility with the aura of seductive strength in the Hotel Campari, a place abounding with magic where anything could happen.

Coats! Max Mara exhibits un Berlin

At the Kulturforum of Staatliche Museum of Berlin, the exhibition "COATS! by Max Mara, 55 years of Italian fashion", for the first time proposes a passionate journey into the story of Italian fashion across coats, the dress item icon of Max Mara.
The exhibition occupies, until March 4, 2007, more than 400 square meters of the prestigious exhibition space and travels through the story of the desginer label of Reggio Emilia with a selection of 70 coats from the 1950's to the present. Accompanying one through this fascinating travel, is the introduction of the coats history garnished with incisions, litographs, prints and dress items from the 1500's to the post war period from the collections of Lipperheideschen Kostumbibliothek of Berlin.
In the exhibition, however, several creations of stylists and designers that over half a century have collaborated with Max Mara, from Emmanuelle Kahn to Anne Marie Beretta, from Nanni Strada to Karl Lagerfeld, from Jean Charles de Castelbajac to Luciano Soprani.

Convenient Shopping in Italy

Milan

Etro Via Spartaco 3
tel: +39 02-550201,
Monday 15-19,
Tuesday to Saturday 10-13:45, 14:4530-19:00.
Saturday from 10-13

Decorating fabrics, accossories and clothes from the previous collections at discounts up to 50%. Etro is famous for its paisley prints and high quality silks, cashmeres, and cottons.

Rome

Discount dell'Alta Moda
Via di Gesu e Maria 16, tel: +39-06-3613796
This outlet boutique has a reputation for its consistently designer-heavy stock-Fendi, Versace, and more

Florence

Bottega Veneta
Via Europa, 8
50060
LECCIO REGGELLO


Gucci, Yves Saint Laurent, Loro Piana, Sergio Rossi, Giorgio Armani, Bottega Veneta, Valentino, La Perla, Agnona, Ermenegildo Zegna, Emanuel Ungaro, Salvatore Ferragamo, Tod's e Hogan.
Viale Europa, 8
50060
LECCIO REGGELLO
+39 055 8657775

Roberto Cavalli
Volturno 3/3
Osmannoro - Sesto Fiorentino

Ascoli Piceno

DellaValle Tod's/Hogan
Garibaldi, 134
63019
S. Elpidio a Mare

An Oscar for Ennio Morricone

Hollywood renders honor to Ennio Moricone: this grand Italian composer will receive this February an Oscar for his career.
Morricone, at 78, has composed approximately 400 movie soundtracks and film music and the Acadamey has declared the desire to reward him for "his magnificient contribution for his multiple aspects of music as art in films".
He became famous thanks to the music of "A Fisftul of Dollars", a movie of Sergio Leone, while the Maestro has composed other music to films such as: "The Good, the Bad and the Ugly", "Once Upon a Time in America", "The Untouchables" and New Cinema Paradise".
The Roma composer, satisfied and content, commented to this news "A hole which needed to be filled". Morricone, in fact, was candidate five times, but never conquered the gold statuette.

Roman Shopping!

To the lovers of shopping we dedicate this "summary" of Roman purchases. A summary for all tastes that go from chic to high fashion from the low-cost prices of the open-air markets, and stopping by the new frontier of shopping between chic and cheap: the outlet.
Many historic fashion names are Made in Italy, Roman and non, that have moved their first steps in Rome, often opening a small atelier that soon brought attention to the curious artistocrats, politicians and movie stars that determined their fortune.
- Sorelle Fontana - Historic designer name that dressed the upper Roman class after the war until the years of the "Dolce Vita" (sweet life) to then reach the United States and Hollywood, designing and packaging costumes of international artists.
- Capucci opens its first atelier in Paris and finally one in Rome in Via Gregoriana. One of the few "independent" stylists: Cappucci broke off from the traditional circuits of the fashion system and personally looked after his presentations of his collections, as if they were art exhibitions. In 1995 he exhibited his models at the Biennale of Venice.
- Fernanda Gattinoni - In 1945 she inaugurates her atelier in Rome, near Via Veneto. Her dresses are worn by celebrities such as: Anna Magnani, Evita Peron, Ingrid Bergman and Audrey Hepburn.
- Lancetti - Roman by adoption, opens his first atelier in Via Margutta, the historic streets of the artists. Almost an omen of the style of tailor-painter that successively he will be attributed with.
- Valentino - Opens his first atelier in Roma in Via Condotti, reaching success with the fashion show at Pitti Immagine of Florence. He is one of the preferred stylists in the movie world: stars like Liz Taylor, Joan Collins, Julia Roberts, Claudia Cardinale wear his evening dresses for gala events like the Night of the Oscars.
- Laura Biagiotti - Re-baptized "Queen of Cashemere", Laura Biagiotti is well-known for her valued knitwear dress items in cashemere, and for her large use of the color white in her models.
- Fendi - Its maison was born in 1925 in Roma as a leather and fur shop. Afterwards, the five Fendi sisters create their designer label which becomes world reknown.
- Brioni - The male elegance at a sartorial level. Famous in all the world for the high quality of his dress items and for being the tailor of 007, personified by the actor Pierce Brosnan.
- Battistoni - Historic atelier of male sartorial level, he was the favorite of the Duke of Windsor.
- Gai Mattiolo - Born in 1968 in Rome, he started his career early on and has become today one of the designer labels most appreciated by the "young".
- Giupa's is a line of knitwear created by Patrizia and Giusy, two young stylists that see women dressed in classy manner.
- Le Romane: From the name one understands that this fashion label is designed by Anna Marina, a citizen of the Capital.
Markets and local street markets: between stands hunting for the right occasion!

Tot the most alternative of consumers that snob the artificial lights of malls and are attracted to the idea of possessing an object that is out of the ordinary, we advise a trip to the Roman local street markets. Rummaging between the stands requests a large amount of time, but surely your efforts will be paid off: from the bottom of the stand you may probably find an unforgettable occasion or a valued piece of art, or perhaps the hard-to-find copy of a comic book that you lost when you moved.
Porta Portese has maintained this veiled air of illegality that she has inherited from her origins: during World War II she was in fact the black market of the city. Today you can find old furniture, dresses, vinyl records, books, plants, cds and much more. (Via Portuense and Via Ippolito Nievo, every Sunday).
Il Mercato delle Stampe will literally make the print and engraving lovers go mad: magazines, prints and vintage books (Largo della Fontanella di Borghese, every morning, excluding Sundays).
Finally, if you desire vintage dresses or simply used dress wear, an absolute is to visit the Via Sannio Market (Via Sannio, every morning from Monday through Saturday).

Will the Devil phones Prada?

No, it is not the sequel to the famous book\film, but the launching on the market of a mobile phone with the world-reknown designer label in accordance with Lg Electronics. And if the griffe-victims are already swooning at the idea of typing into the tactile sensitive display that subistitutes the traditional push-buttons, even those that are lovers of hi-tech will have their needs of avanguard technology fulfilled due to the sophisticated technical characteristics of this mobile phone. Could this be another success of the coupling fashion and hi-tech?