Italian Fashion: Attention to the Details: Part 2

Here are a few more images I have taken, as I walk the streets of Verona, Italy.

Look at the details... mmmm.

Costume: from the Opera (with detail shots)

I was fortunate to be able to see a collection of costume from the Verona Filharmonica Lyric Opera collection. Many of the pieces were older, from early in the century. The level of detail here was amazing.

Below are some photos I would like to share.

Two Costumes from Aida




Rigoletto


Tosca

The Hunt for a Dress (again).. and later Fabric (Tessuto)

For those of you who have followed this blog, you will know that last summer I went on a 'hunt' for the perfect dress to wear at my son's wedding. I found it, and shoes, and a purse, etc. here in Verona, and they were lovely.

OK.. so I have another occasion that warrants a new dress. I am very excited to say that I am to be honored at the end of March at a black tie event hosted by the San Diego chapter of the Fashion Group International. I am being presented an award for Educator of the Year.

So, the dress hunt began again, and I found it in my favorite boutique here in Verona, Scarabicchio. Arrigo was a great help in assisting me in my search.

The minute I put it on, I knew it was 'the dress'.

This morning I had the dress with me when I met the usual cast of characters for morning coffee at the cafe. Santina was holding the dress up, and Pierre Luigi looked at it and said (and I quote)... "Molto Sexy". Now, it is probably one of those ... you had to be there... moments. If you can imagine a man with a strong Italian accent saying this. Molto means 'very'. Sexy, you know.

After coffee, I headed to the fabric store (also discussed in my June 2009 blog entries). The store is Menegazzi Tessuti. Paola, the owner assisted me.
Below is my fabric choice for a stole. It is cream wool lainacotte (a type of lightweight boiled wool).

Of course, this trip, I budgeted for a purchase at the fabric store, so as you can see, I bought a couple of pieces. But yes.. fabric was also on sale!

This fabric is French, and is a type of fake fur. It has a cotton base, and a viscose pile.

This fabric is a nice cotton eyelet... it will be come a dress of some sort.

How fun..

Italian Fashion... Attention to the Details, Part I

I spend many hours shooting photos of the fashions in the Italian store windows...
I am so impressed with the attention to detail that exists here.

Below are a few images I'd like to share...

Brusalavecia: A Traditional Celebration of the New Year in Verona

On January 6th, I witnessed a special celebration in Verona. The day was a celebration of Ephiphany, and all things were closed.

In the early evening, a special even took place in Piazza Bra, where the Roman Arena is located.

A figure of an old witch-like woman was constructed, and the intent was to celebrate the new year, by burning her and all she stood for.

Here you see her, carrying a bag of goods on her back.

The piazza was packed (as you can see below), and children were in attendance with their families. A ceremony took place, with a drumming performance, many discussions (most of which I did not understand), and then the burning ceremony.

In short, the burning of the old woman signifies the end of all the bad things of the year closing, and the beginning of all the good things in the New Year.
Here you see a view of the old woman (from behind, as this is where I managed to squeeze into a spot).

Below you see her burning.

Below I have translated (with my best efforts), the information presented in a brief flyer I found at the tourist office.

Events like the Brusalavecia are the reason one travels: to witness the moments in life, and the celebrations of people in different countries.

In English (my translation)
All people of earth and every latitude celebrate diversely, but more or less the in same manner, the passage of the bad to the good season, the reawakening of nature, the end of an old year and the beginning of the new light of day which conquers over the dark of the night.

The use of fire, in particular, which belongs to a tradition full of significant symbolism and religion, but that has a practical use; to clean the country of its remaining wastes and with the ashes, it fertilizes the ground to therefore produce new fruits.

Carrying an old widespread tradition of the valleys and their surrounding mountains to the heart of the city is a symbolic manner of approach the place of our region.

In Italian
Tutti i popoli della terra ad ogni latitudine celebrano in forme diverse ma più o meno nello stesso periodo it passaggio dalla cattiva alla buona stagione, it risveglio della natura, la fine dell’anno vecchio e l’inizio del nuovo la luce del giorno che prende il sopravvento sul buio della notte.

L’uso del fucco, in particolare, apparetiene ad una tradizione piena di significati simbolici e religioso, ma che ha anche un’utilità practica; si ripulisce la campagna dai suio resti rinsecchiti e con le ceneri si fertilizza la terra perchè produca nuovi frutti.

Riportare un’antica tradizione diffusa neele valli e sui monti circostanti, nel cuore della città, è un modo simbolico di avvicinare il capuluogo al suo territorio.

Tutti I materiali utilizzati sono naturali e in gran parte provenienti dale areee vallive della bassa veronese e dai monti Lessini.

And some more pictures.


After.. you could watch families skate in the man-made rink in front of the Roman arena.

What am I reading?

I love to read, and I love to read books through which I broaden my world somehow. So, books with some history, musicology, textiles, art, or other passions in my life, generally attract my attention. During this semester break, I have already read two books, and both were good and interesting in their own way. I chose one because it involved ‘lace’, a textile, and the other because the woman became a piano teacher (as I was once, while in college). I am now on my third... so read on.


The Lace Reader
By Brunonia Barry
This story takes place in Salem, and involves several women who can read the future in patterns of lace. Towner Whitney is the main character and she returns to Salem when her aunt dies. The story involves the disappearance of two women, which in turn brings secrets of the past back into Towner’s life and explain the surprising truth about the death of Towner’s twin sister.



The Piano Teacher
By Janice Y. K. Lee
The story takes place in Hong Kong and alternates between the time of the Japanese occupation in the 1940’s and later in the 1950’s. The main character is Claire Pendleton, a British woman who accompanies her husband to Hong Kong for his work. She becomes the piano teacher for a young Chinese girl. The story intertwines various people who appear in both time periods, particularly a man, Will, who Claire has an affair with. One will learn a lot about the Japanese occupation, and life amongst the various people of Hong Kong at that time (English, Chinese, Japanese, American). And, of course, there are surprises near the end of the book.



The Glassblower of Murano
by Marina Fiorato
I am not in the middle of another book, one and an at a point where I don’t want to put it down. It is a fairly light story (yet very interesting), of a young half-Venetian, half-English woman who moves to Venice to follow in the footsteps of her famous ancestor, Corradino Manin (who was one of Venice’s foremost glassblowers. She is learning while there, the secrets of her ancestor, who apparently sold his methods and his soul to France, to assist Louis XIV in the building of the Hall of Mirrors at Versaille. I love reading about places I have been, and am making copius notes of some of the places mentioned in the book, so that the next time I go to Venice, I can trace the tracks.

If any of you read one of the above, let me know what you think!

Fun Fashion Statement... in English!

OK... I am walking home from a concert in Verona, on a new street, and I see this in the store window. I couldn't resist taking a photo to share...





And, of course, some samples of what they were talking about. Most footwear is on sale (Saldi!), so if you multiply the Euro price by 1.4, you are getting close to the price.