Make the transition from Spring to Summer with a Leather Jacket

March comes in like a lamb but goes out like a lion, April brings on cold showers and May is straddling winter temps and summer sunshine all the while puffing pollen and other sneeze causing things in the air.  There is no rule of thumb on how to dress in mid season except maybe …. make it flexible.  Last week in Tuscany everyone was working on a “cambia di armadio” which may sound rather intimidating but it actually just means switching their winter wardrobe for their summer attire.  And for some people this can be quite a daunting task (my colleague at work takes a week off just to get it right – but then she uses her spare bedroom as a walk-in closet.) For others this could mean just making sure the wool sweaters get some lavender perfumed slips to keep the moths away.

The trick to the transition is always leave something warm to cover those unexpected temp drops from tropical to Siberia.  Last week I was cutting the lawn in shorts and a halter top and this week its been so chilly I have had to sleep in my pile PJs to keep warm!  One just wants to scream where is the logic here!!  So the obvious choice here is the leather jacket addition which works well in all temps and provides a distinctive fashion statement.  Here are a couple of my favorites:

Sometimes its the color or texture of the leather that makes a statement, like this distressed leather Jacket from Michael Kors. Reminds me of the Campomaggi look: rustic and sophisticated all at the same time.I am always a little bit nervous about wearing a suede leather jacket – however you can not deny that when it is smooth and soft, its a pure delight to run your hand over a suede leather jacket.

Probably the easiest look to get away with is a cropped leather jacket – like the collarless version above in beige nappa leather with contrasting tobacco trim or the classic all black designer leather jacket for women with a dual collar.

Sometimes a designer handbag is the proverbial cherry on the cake

When you are dressing and spending so much time agonizing over just the right color top, matching heels – picking out the perfect jacket and lipstick – its impossible to ignore the effect that just the right handbag can have on your outfit.   When our designer sits down to start matching up leather handbag bases with contrasting top handles, accents and canvas straps he takes this into consideration.  He knows that some just want a loud statement with color, texture and design and some just want a handbag that is simple elegant and timeless.

With this in mind, we are announcing the addition of  more FORTUNTA designer Tote handabags in some great colors and mix and matches..

The theme in this batch is playing on the contrast between handbag base and the leather accents, just check out the mix and match of colors.  For example the classic black bag with colorful accents such as green, tangerine, brown and cherry red. This new selection of Fortunta concentrate on mixing basic colors with splashes of contrasting colors – yet keeping the interiors of these handbags simple and clean with solid colors.

Since these designer hand bags are a limited edition and they are all part of a numbered series, therefore our designer felt he could play with some of the more trendy colors out this year like the tangerine orange color or the gold metallics.

We made a promise at the beginning of 2012 and that was to always have something new on line every week. And thus far, we have managed to keep this promise! We have been adding new leather jackets, fashion jewelry from Italian designers, 18k gold designs in filigree and that’s not all we have a restyling of the Toscanella brand coming up soon.

Weekend Line-up in Florence Italy

1) Thunderous looking clouds are pushing the sun out of the sky! Its always rather eiry when warm yellow sunlight penetrates through the heavy gray clouds. But let it rain, we won’t begrudge the water reservoir the pleasure of filling up, even if it does mean a possible weekend under the umbrella.

2) Working double time to get all the new products on line in time for our pre-Mother’s Day Sale.  Managed to wriggle out a great discount on so many of our designer leather handbags . . . I am beginning to wonder if maybe M & M didn’t have a touch of a fever when they gave the go ahead !  Buy now before they make me change all the prices.

3) Yum, dinner is breaded lamb chops and fried artichokes – gees, when you are about to eat this well who cares if its raining outside. Looking forward to a gorgeous fire, a leisurely dinner, a glass (or three) of a robust Chianti  and cuddling up on the couch with my favorite Italian Sweetie and a warm wool blanket for a romantic film, which half of us will sleep right through.

4) This month we have been flying through our stock of Italian leather jackets, looks like the 2012 collection is going to be a roaring success. I have been trying to entice my Sweetie to have a look and pick one out but I think he is waiting for me to surprise him. Won’t he be surprised when the jacket I bring home is for ME and not him.

5) FORZA VIOLA! It’s looking a bit desperate and I think we will need all the help we can get on the soccer field this Sunday. In fact, I have considered taking all the lucky charms off of our FORTUNATA BAGS and bringing them home just to tip the balance of the scales in our favor.

6) I am sitting here counting the minutes till break time so I can dig into this box of dark chocolate covered hazelnuts cookies that I saw at the supermarket this afternoon.  I can’t believe I am actually hungry after the Girls Night Out yesterday with my ex-pat colleagues and an improvised  Mexican Menu, who knew Chianti went so well with tacos and fajitas.  And Bria, that Guacamole was … well, let’s just say I am without words.

A Rainbow of Colors from Florence Italy

It’s not often I am enthusiastic about special offers from my own place of work. I mean I understand it’s not an easy choice to put handcrafted items on sale for wooshing discounted prices. It’s especially difficult when you take into consideration the manual work that goes into selecting the leather, cutting, prepping, assembling, sewing and refining each and everyone of the handbags with a Pierotucci label.  The detail seems endless and it is just natural that the producers want the price to reflect the exquisite quality of the handbag. However, it happens that M & M (the bosses) get soft hearts every once and a while . . . especially when we are talking about la Mamma (anyone who knows an Italian Male will understand that the Mother has a special place in their masculine hearts) SO -  they has relented for a pre-Mother’s Day Sale.

Since they gave me free reign on choosing the leather handbags (another surprising relent on their part)  I turned to my colleagues and we pulled out some of our favorite bags.  Why are they favorites? For me it was the simplicity of the designs.  I adore a bag that moves from morning to noon to evening without skipping a beat.  I want a bag with that’s not bulky, so that doesn’t “weigh” me down. And I love color! I always find myself gravitating towards jeans (in dark blue), heels in black and I love dark blue shirts and sweaters . . . but there is an inner me just begging to express itself in some little way – YES! that’s it, a splash of color in the form of a genuine Italian leather handbag from Florence Italy.

What is filigree jewelry?

Florence and the surrounding area is particularly well known in Italy for its long tradition in working gold into beautiful pieces of art.  In fact,  this art was advanced to its highest perfection by the Greeks and Etruscans from the 6th to the 3rd centuries BC.  As a testament to this tradition , a number of earrings and other personal ornaments found in central Italy are well preserved in the Louvre and in the British Museum.  Almost all of them are made of filigree work.

The filifree or as many cultures know it “filograno” is used in the production of gold and silver pieces.  This particular technique consists of reducing the precious metal into fine wires to create a type of jewelry characterized by braiding and bending these  threads to create delicate swirling, curving motifs.  The patience and skill required to work these extremely thin threads is what contributes to the value of these unique designs.

Filigree (also less commonly spelt filagree, and formerly written filigrann or filigrene) often suggests lace, and in recent centuries remains popular in Indian and other Asian metalwork, and French from 1660 to the late 19th century. It should not be confused with ajoure jewellery work; while both have many open areas, filigree involves threads being soldered together to form an object and ajoure involves holes being punched, drilled, or cut through an existing piece of metal.

It is interesting to note the origins of this technique was historically considered part of the ordinary work of a jeweler, even though filigree has become a special branch of jewellery in modern times.  A. Castellani states, in his “Memoir on the Jewellery of the Ancients” (1861), that except for items intended to follow the owners to the grave, the jewelry of the Etruscans (from central Italy) and Greeks was made by soldering together  gold rather than by chiseling or engraving the material.  Below is a gorgeous example of how the Etruscans solder together and decorated with fine gold threads.  Click on photo for more details on where you can see this set of ear rings.

Etruscan, Pair of bauletto earrings, 6th century B.C., gold, Dallas Museum of Art, gift of Mr. and Mrs. James H. Clark

These pieces are more are on sale at Pierotucci.com where you will find an interesting and ever changing collection of handmade Italian crafted 18K gold rings, bracelets, pendants, necklaces and more.

Either way you wear it, this jacket comes up smelling like

Italian leather and that is absolutely “delizioso”!  I adored this jacket when we had it in a dark gray, but now that we are showing it in our 2012 Collection with this new color, I have fallen in love with it all over again.  I always thought that the duster style jacket  appeared to be romantic with a twist of intrigue!

I feel in love with this reversible leather jacket the moment I saw it on the hanger.  Besides the fact that it is handmade in Florence Italy by seasoned experts, there are four precise reasons:

1)  I love the neutral color which will look great with jeans, dress pants or with a splash of color in the form of a silk scarf or leather gloves. With everyone watching their budget more carefully, looking to invest in luxury items like leather jackets only when they can justify the costs, its obvious that the purchase needs to match up with more than one skirt, pair of pants or silk blouse.  Color is important and neutrals colors last a lifetime.

2)  The soft sweet feel of lambskin leather feels so delicious inside and out! This Italian tanned leather speaks volumes and its lightweight compliments the soft folds that fall at the unusual length.  The quality of the leather exalts the unique design with a velvety suede on one side, accented with nappa lambskin in the same color and turn it around to enjoy the buttery feel of nappa lambskin.

3)  This jacket will go everywhere and always have you stand out in the crowd.  Rushing off to the office, meeting the girls to go shopping, happy hour with your friends or a night on the town with someone special – this reversible jacket gives you every opportunity to use it to the max.  It’s simple, reminiscent of a duster style jacket and eases itself into every type of social situation as if it was always meant to be just and only there.

4)  I appreciate quality where I find it, and this hand cut and hand sewn leather jacket is all about quality.  Besides the obvious fact that the lambskin leather is top, you can dig just a little deeper and note the excellent cut, how the seamstress matched all the different panels to the same shade or the careful top stitching or even the contrasting nappa accents and the covered suede buttons.  As the Italians would say “Qualità al visto occhio”  that is the quality is evident to the naked eye.

Luxury comes in new colors this season

Working in the sector, we see a plethora of styles, cuts, colors and qualities pass through – but every once and a while, we will see the  arrival of what comes close to a true work of art!  Just this week a new men’s leather jacket arrived and it is truly divine! The most distinct feature, besides the great cut, is the quality of the leather. When they say soft like butter they ere imagining this jacket.  The texture is delicious, truly supple, with that light hint of a fresh leather smell.  This top quality Italian nappa leather is tanned right here in Tuscany and besides the fact that it is a hand sewn customized jacket, it is this leather which makes it stand apart from the others.  Available in what I would call jewel colors, accentuating the elegance and uniqueness of the model.

The green leather jacket almost appears to change color depending on the light taking on a rich deep green to a forest moss green / gray and the purple jacket lingers between a dark purple to more of a Sangiovese grape purple.

This style is an elegant, classic bomber jacket has a hidden front zip and snap closure, mandarin collar and buttons at the cuff.  The designer jacket is lined in viscose and has elastic accents at both the cuff and the waist to ensure a perfect fit against errant winds.  I encourage you to visit the site and view the photos where you can note in better detail in the front pockets and collar which are accented with a  perforated nappa lambskin to offer a subtle contrast to the texture.  These small, but attentive attitude towards detail is part of what makes this a top class leather jacket.

Country Lanes in Tuscany

I live on the outskirts of Florence, in an area that is called Colle Fiorentina  This translates into the Florentine hills, well known for its DOCG Chianti wine and the fact that it is the gateway to the area called Chianti Classical.  The hills are covered with rolling vineyards, olive green groves and Mediterranean pines in lush dark forest.  It is a picture postcard panorama.  You are probably thinking nice to read about but does it really exist, or is this yet another fanatic raving about the Tuscan countryside? I guess it’s a little of both. If you can imagine, I have a 2 km stretch right outside my front door that plunges through the middle of olive groves and vineyards and in the distance there is a silhouette of the Apennines on the left and that of a Tuscan hilltop town on the right.  If I hit it right when I go for my morning walk, I get a brilliant sky flushed with early morning color going up the road and on the way back, the sun is warming my behind and splashing buckets of yellow light on the trees. So you see, how can I not be one of those raving fanatics?

In my 20 years of living abroad, about 19.5 of them have been involved with tourism. And even though I am a do-it-yourself kind of gal, I always tell visitors, if you can swing it, get a tour guide. A good one will fill you up with fun little details like why you can find roses at the end of the vineyards, the value of the Tuscan cypress tree as a landmark, point out the orchids that grow alongside the road and my personal favorite, tell you where to find THE best extra virgin olive oil. However, I know that not everyone’s budget can afford the cost…(therefore if you want to know any of those little facts I mentioned before, just drop me a note)

So instead of telling you my tale, I am here to tell you that it is completely possible (and safe) to venture outside of the city center, the art museums, historic monuments far from street vendors and yet another gelato shop, to find the Tuscan scenery described – on your own – without a guide, on a budget and without a lot of hassle.

If you have a car, then you are already finding out about another kind of hassle – Italian driving. However, I am assuming that you are not daunted by this, so believe me, finding rolling hills covered with vineyards is truly as easy as driving into Chianti.  The scenery is award winning, like this image below.

So this is where my years of experience come into play. I wholeheartedly suggest that you take a deviation when you get to Grassina which is the first little town you will encounter when leaving Florence to go towards Chianti.  Simply  follow the sign for S. Polo in Chianti.  The first 3-4 km may seem like a disappointment – but you must persevere and you will find yourself taking a trip into an unadulterated piece of countryside.

If you don’t have a car then I say -> do like the locals, TAKE a BUS!  Contrary to popular belief, the Italian public transport is a great way to enjoy a slice of authentic Italian-ness!  You have two options. Option number one is low on the fatigue scale. Catch a SITA bus (they are blue) for Greve a/o Panzano – but look for the one that goes “via S. Polo” , it will actually say that on the bus destination sign above the driver. You will find it right next to the sign that tells you NOT to talk to the driver  or you may disturb his/her concentration…like I ever saw that happen! The further the buses go from the city center is directly proportional to how many passenger names, family problems, political stances and weekend activities of said passenger that the driver knows.

If you are like me, then the second option is for you.  Personally I am a walker.  My boyfriend, he wants action; he’s got to run, bike or go hiking (hiking implies sweating, huffing and puffing) . . . he doesn’t see the value of walking, daydreaming and absorbing the scenery.  Second option:  catch the ATAF (the orange bus) number 31 from Piazza S. Marco to Grassina (go till you find capo linea – means go to the end of the bus route, like in the very last stop). Then get out and walk from Grassina to S. Polo.  This is 11 km of ups and downs.  A point of interest, as long as you aren’t doing this on a Saturday or Sunday, you can stop at a sweet little place called Tommasina about 5 km in and munch down just like the locals.  Once in S. Polo you can opt to catch a bus and proceed to Greve or turn around and go back home to Florence.

Now if you are a biker… Well this category should be divided into a sometime biker and a real biker. Listen up sometime bikers, you have to keep in mind that the trip from the city center of Florence is not a piece of cake (20km) – nor are the ups and downs if you want to make Greve your final destination.  I can’t tell you how many times going to work at Pierotucci Leather Factory I have seen failed attempts to bike Chianti on a rental city bike. They get as far as Grassina (hitting only main roads, car fumes and traffic) and are too tired to go forward.  If you are a vigilant biker, then you will probably laugh in my face – but I tell you that 222 is loaded with dodgy cars, hills, fast Italian drivers, hills, slow foreign drivers, hills, honking horns, hills, traffic and hills.  If you think I am exaggerating with the hills that’s only because repetition helps the “sometime bikers” remember who they really are.  In any case, the deviation mentioned above, helps you avoid all of the dodgy points except for the hills, yet still be blessed by scenery and a more pleasant type of traffic (tractors?)

If you are thinking about getting crafty (I know I said that the public transport system is great) but they have yet to install buses from Florence to Greve that include the bike racks on them…

PS if any of you car people, have the urge to walk a little bit. Count off 6 KM from the turn in Grassina, and on the right will be my 2 km stretch of Tuscany. Park your car on the dirt road and stroll it – it is well worth it. Don’t forget your camera and a picnic lunch.

3D photos from Italy, Truly in the eye of the beholder

Have you ever taken a picture with the hope of seeing the image jump out and become “real” to all your friends and family?  In essence to give a “3D” feel to it?

Today’s technology has made the 3D essence possible and we are celebrating our own in house photographer Lorenzo Bartoli with 2 of his Florence and 2 of his Rome images as gift ideas for the holiday season.  Each of these four images captures a renowned historic monument  giving them depth and movement, as if you were really there in person to enjoy the spectacular image.

These images are individually elaborated by hand  into a 3D image making them a unique handcrafted item.

How does it work?  The lenticular technique consists of interposing an optical layer made of tiny longitudinal lenses, called a lenticular sheet, between the image and the viewer’s eye. This creates the illusion that the image changes depending on the viewer’s visual angle. These self-stereoscopic images, also known as three dimensional or 3D images, use a special method that eliminates the need to wear special glasses in order to appreciate the effect.  The lenticular sheet of APET plastic has a series of straight lines engraved in it, making it feel like you are scratching a record when you touch it.  These lines are what give the 3D effect to the images.

The first image is of the statue of Perseus located in the Loggia outside of Palazzo Vecchio in Florence, which depicts him wearing the many gifts of the gods as once he undertook the mission to bring back the head of the famous Gorgon, Medusa.  Interesting to note that though this bronze of Cellini is graphic with the blood gushing from the severed head of Medusa, this  subject is not treated with horror or disgust.

The second Florentine image is of  Neptune, and was meant to be an allusion to the dominion of  Florence over the sea. The figure stands on a high pedestal in the middle of an octagonal fountain. However, when this white marble statue was finished, it was not appreciated in particular by the Florentines, who called it Il Biancone (the white giant).

The lenticular illustrations by Lorenzo Bartoli are made with the precise and passionate characteristics found in a hand crafted production. They are printed in a superior quality and then each image is individually hand laminated. These images are made with real photographs and it is this which gives the subjects a spatial volume, resulting in a true 3D effect.  It is through these images that the author has tried to convey the warmth and emotion felt during his work.

An Iris Is A Giglio By Any Other Name

Giglio

The flower Giglio with its striking violet color and bright yellow center is the traditional associated with the city of  Florence in Tuscany, Italy.  The giglio, better know as the Iris, is a flower with five petals, three with a superior shape and two inferior and is similar to the Lilium.  This antique flower was cultivated by Egyptians, Romans and Greeks and in fact the name is derived from the Greek word for rainbow.   Legend has it that  the name was taken from the goddess Iride, “The Messenger of Goodness”.  Iris adapts well to cold weather,  mountain regions and rivers and can be found in the south of Europe and parts of the Mediterranean.  This flower has been used throughout the years as an  ingredient to produce perfume, medicine, and interestingly enough even some toothpaste brands.  This  symbol not only has inspired the the town of Florence to adopt is as their symbol but also the gold craftsman who date back to the Etruscans.

Government Symbole of Florence

Florence’s tradition of carefully carved gold pieces include excellent examples of this age old symbol in many of their creations.  The people of Florence, Italy wear the symbol with pride, and when it is made in 18K gold from one of the many shops along Ponte Vecchio or the city center, then they know that they are truly wearing a piece of art.  Pierotucci relys on these very same artisans to provide them with top quality pieces of jewelry for their store.

Small sized 18k engraved gold Giglio pendant and brooch

Click for more info: Giglio florentine

A timeless design, steeped in tradition, the “giglio” is the ultimate symbol of Florence.  Every where you go in Florence you can see it emblazoned on the walls of buildings, churches and monuments.  Though the flower normally comes in a variety of colors:  violet-blue, yellow, red, white and brown, the Florentines use the giglio in red on a white back ground.  However it is very common to see this symbol in  violet or purple which is the main color of the city – so much so that their top soccer team has been nicknamed “VIOLA”.  The Florence Iris Garden is open in May, and may small towns near by have festivals celebrating the Giglio, like S.  Polo in Chianti.   Dating back more than 1000 years, it has become one of our most popular designs.   Hand carved in 18 carat gold, it has been cleverly designed to be worn either as a brooch or a pendant.

Pendant: Medium Heart in 18 K gold

View more photos: 18K Gold Giglio

The Florence Iris Garden is open in May, and may small towns near by have festivals celebrating the Giaggiolo,  the name of the flower in Florentine slang, like in the town S. Polo in Chianti.   Dating back more than 1000 years, it has become one of our most popular designs.   Though many would confuse it with the French symbol, which is known world wide but  it is actually easy to tell them apart.  The French symbol has only three petals where as the Florentine giglio has five – three principal petals and two smaller that appear on either side of the top petal.  Hand carved in 18 carat gold, you can see the small petals in the image to the right.  It’s easy to appreciate the line of the engravers chisel as it cuts to give depth and glitter to each piece. These featured pieces are available in one of three wonderful colours:  classic yellow 18 K gold, stunning white, or the increasingly popular rose gold.