Lost My Heart In Florence

I've never been that much impressed by a city, as I am with Florence. We planned that trip spontaneous, it was something like a honeymoon. Some other cities have been on the list, even Paris again. Lukily we ended in the city of the Renaissance. And I'm sure it wasn't the last visit.

Before the trip I asked my boss, born and raised in Florence for some tipps, and I booked some museums to avoid to much waiting for tickets. We had the Uffizi galleries on our list, the David at the Academia and Palazzo Pitti... All in all we visited arround more or less 12 museums.

Florence is about fashion, it became rich because of it's cloth makers and even the Medici family started in that business before they became rich and famous. 

For fashion addicts the Costume Gallery at Palazzo Pitti is a must-see. Currently they are showing how animals influenced fashion in an exhipition called Animalia Fashion. Designs from Dior, Valentino, Iris van Herpen and many more designers and fashion houses are shown next to stuffed animals, paintings and sculptures from ancient times. 

The second spot for fashion enthusiasts is the Gucci Garden, or Gucci Museum. We felt brainwashed by the shown items and ready to spend some money at the store, that sells special items from the Gucci Garden Collection. But I was also surprised by the designs and how the current collections reflect the history and the archives of Gucci.

After a lot of art, a little shopping is always nice. Next to luxury stores, vintage and antiques dealers and a lot of gelato we found Richard Ginori. Founded in the 1730's it is finest table wear made in Florence. The shop is more a showroom and an amazing treasure chest. I fell in love with a series called Oriente Italiano. A cup with a cover will remind me on Florence and keep my coffee warm. 

This is just a small description of our trip. You need a few more pages to write about that amazing city, the landscape, the light, the architecture, the art... You need a room with a view, an aperitivo and an open mind. 

Spring Is Here

Freaking Out - Summer is coming! I mean, winter wasn’t really part of the show during the last couple of months, but mostly it was gray outside and much to cold for less then 3 to 5 layers of clothing. I’m bored from winter clothing, even if I like some of the pieces very much. Now they have to stay in the closed!
I’m checking my closed and being so in love with an few items, that will be an integral part of my spring summer wardrobe. Working in fashion means that you are a year ahead, so I saw a few favorites during the fashion weeks and in showrooms last July. I feel in love, but still had to wait for the delivery 6 months later. Now it’s time for them to shine and make me smile!
I wanna show some of my new favorites, even if only a few of them are easy to find on the sales floor or online. (I’m not that much into online shopping. I like to support local dealers. I like to touch fabrics. I hate to wait for delivery or have to start a search for missing packages. And of course it’s better for the environment.)

1 - Lightweight Nylon Coat by Random Identities
Stefano Pilati previous worked for Prada and Yves Saint Laurent (The Yves hasn’t been removed at that time), later at Ermenegildo Zegna. In 2018 he presented his very unique genderless collection to the world and I fell in love with it. It’s more affordable in contrast to his previous designs, but also more desirable because of the gender free approach. It’s modern and inclusive.
I bought the coat as a Christmas gift to myself and it became the perfect companion. Especially for me a frequent traveller it fits easily into your hand luggage and weights nearly nothing. I wear it extra large, even if I would also into a size small. But I’m not that into small…

2 - Neon Palms Shirt by MSGM
I like shirts for summer. And that special one caught my attention from the first moment on. It’s a bit nostalgic and acid. Even that one fits better in two sizes bigger, it’s more relaxed. There are also some more color combinations in the collections, and shorts in the same print for a pajama look. If your like festivals, that could be nice for a Coachella style. And Troye Sivan wore it too…
3 - Deconstructed Football Shirt by Martine Rose for Nike
Are we done sportswear? Never! That shirts might not be the first choice for the typical sports guy, but it’s a catch for for fashion addicts with a soft spot for Balenciaga. Martine Rose is part of the menswear design team, and that shirt is 100% her aesthetic. The color is crazy, the fit super loose - Best buy! (Check her designs for the Nike Monarch. It’s not looking that good in my size, wearing an 46, but nice for a slightly smaller feet.)
4 - Dickies 874
That pants are amazing! They very cheap, super comfortable and come in a lot of colors. I wear mine a bit shortened because of proportions. You will find similar versions of that design in a many designer collections. Bur why spending a lot of money for a copy if the original is better and less expensive?
5 - Chucks 70
The classic Converse are not that comfortable in my opinion, but the 70’s are. Something ist different, but I can’t tell you exactly what it is. Try them, you will like them! But I don’t like the regular color combinations, so I use the design template on the converse website or buy cooperations. You might know the CdG Play ones withe heart, but the Undercover designs are nice as well. I wore them in yellow at my wedding.

6 - Vintage
I’m not that into pre-worn things, but I like vintage or items from previous seasons. The prices are often very good and some brands are worth collecting. My current favorite is a vintage Helmut Lang suit from the late 1990’s in a kind of color like pantones ‚Living Corals‘, color of the year 2019. Perfect! And I like my Jil Sander Double Face Cotton Jacket in tangerine. It was a catch, brand new and under 10% of the original price. So keep your eyes open for special items!