Ciao!

Arrived in Milan Monday afternoon at the Sol Melia, the epicenter for all things ANCI this week during the shoe show. Enjoyed the best pizza I have ever had, and then tucked in to try and catch up on sleep from the 16 hour journey from LA. Tuesday had a wonderful lunch of the most divine branzino and pinot grigio, with Philippe in the canal district on Milan (they have two canals, thank you very much). Wandered about and bought a new pair of 70’s sunglasses at the marvelous Superfly on Ripo di Porta Ticense — a little vintage shop chock full of well-edited pieces like Thierry Mugler dresses, vintage belts, skirts, accessories . . .Janinine the proprietor has a fab eye for unusual prints and well-cut silhouettes. Kept wandering down the streets across the canals to the Naviglio, where the stones on which the washerwomen did the laundry still cluster at the edge of an offshoot of the canal. There we had the most amazing discovery — at first we thought it was a gallery, full of the most ethereal chiffon creations, but after we wandered inside, discovered to our surprise and pleasure it is the four week old shop of Selene Giorgi, a former stylist with a background as an artist. Her one of a kind creations feel like a sumptuous Issey Miyake meets Audrey Hepburn sensibility, and the space itself is full of rough hewn details worthy of a top-notch gallery. She doesn’t make patterns, only drapes to create her forms, and I fell completely in love with a silk white empire waist full length dress adorned with the most interesting origami pleats up the front. After a short visit with Selene, we kept wandering and Philippe dropped me off on Via Montenapoleone where I had the pleasure of meeting Stella at the Gianmarco Lorenzi showroom. Surrounded by hundreds of some of the most fantastical and amazing creations, we chatted about Gianmarco’s design sensibility, global expansion (kuala lumpur and korea) and their new manufacturing facility in Marche where their 80 employees birth shoes with as much anticipation and excitement as people birth babies. I love the idea of giving birth to a new shoe creation, Italians always know how to express these things! After being wowed by a python platform mule with citrus flower detailing, among other squeal-worthy items, I wandered down the street and stopped into Casadei, giuseppe Zanotti (ankle cuff flat grecian sandals I had a moment over), Rene Caovilla (love the color I am seeing there), Sergio Rossi (think sorbet), Hogan, Ferregamo, Prada. . . then happened upon an outlet store claring American gospel music and selling everything from Maria Cornejo to Marc Jacobs to Prada to Cavalli to Lanvin – all half off. Had a moment with an ivory Cavalli dress and then the light was falling and time for me to head back to the hotel. Bought three “bellissima” roses from a street vendor and hopped on the subway home. When I got out at my subway stop, I inadvertently caused a frenzy by looking lost — about eight people proceeded to help me find my way to the hotel, all arguing with each other about which was the best way and who spoke the best inglese. After about 20 minutes, when it was decided the way I should go, I was off through the darkening foggy night back to warmth and Sky TV at the Melia.

Now have just arrived here at MICAM and am salivating getting ready to go inside. More updates soon,
ciao!
Meg