A MUST HAVE TO GET IN ROME : THE BIZANTINA BAG

Craftmanship and creativity. Shopping in Rome can be an exclusive experience especially if you manage to buy a Bizantina Bag. A lovely evening pochette big enough to put inside a cell phone, keys and some make up.

The designers are mother and daughter : Benedetta Lignani and Caterina Mancinelli. Benedetta is one of the most creative woman I know. She is journalist, PR , interior decorator and designer. Her daughter Caterina has fashion in her DNA and now is a successful student at Rome University graduating in Fashion.

The Bizantina was born on a journey on the Bosphorus.The silk velvet ikat is woven on the traditional looms of Bukhara in Uzbekistan. The tortoise-shaped clip made of brass and silver, is handmade in Istanbul inspired by an ancient Ottoman design. The silk satin inner lining is made in Italy and sewed by an italian couturière. Benedetta and Caterina often go to Istanbul to choose the fabrics.

Each bag is numbered and unique. Not particularly expensive: around 250 euros. Every Bizantina has a soul and a story. It is an artisanal creation and may have minor irregularities as it is an hand-craft objets d'art.

Major italian newspapers such as Corriere della Sera and Sole 24ore wrote about it. The best way to try to have it is to get an appointment with Benedetta and Caterina writing an email to bizantinabag@gmail.com and get an appointment. Everything depends on the availability as, every collection is a capsule. 

Some of our clients from www.grandtourshopping.com had the opportunity to get a Bizantina. We organised a custom made rendez vous. Especially ladies from Australia and United States. By the way, Benedetta and Caterina know exactly where the Bizantinas are around the world. Some clients have it in Miami, New York, Gstaad, Moscow and Tel Aviv. In Italy the pochette became a status symbol owned by socialites, actresses and fashion editors. A must have in Rome, Palermo, Milan and Naples. No doubt about it.

THE FEMININE STYLE OF LOUIS VUITTON SOON IN ROME

Shopping in Rome in the Louis Vuitton store is a great experience. The boutique is in piazza San Lorenzo in Lucina. 

The flagship store has be done, few years ago,  by the american architect Peter Marino and used to be a movie theatre. There is still a small part of the boutique with a screen and few rows of seats. They show short movies, documentaries etc...  In front of the seats different books including the extremely useful city guides : Rome, Paris, London, Milano, Prague. The boutique offers bags, men's wear, shoes and luggages. Sometimes I accompany clients there, especially american, not only because they love it but also because they can take advantage from the tax free. The procedure in the boutique is quick and also the attention for the packaging is very accurate.

The designer of the women collection is Nicolas Ghesquière, an extremely talented french couturier who used to be for years at Balenciaga. Personally I miss Marc Jacobs who was, for years, the women designer of Vuitton but I must admit that Ghesquière's work is very precise, elegant and feminine. He has an amazing respect for women. He also studies the archives and then proposes a contemporary fashion without overdoing.

The autumn winter collection will be available in Rome in few monthes. In Paris, in a disused courtyard of the Louvre, Louis Vuitton had his fashion show in March. Among the guests the architect Marino and the actress Catherine Deneuve. On the catwalk, and soon in the stores, a  lot of skirtsuits, cropped jackets, gold chains on sweaters and tops for the evening. There were also a series of new flat envelope bags and a good choice of black and white shoes. Everything was wearable and elegant. No wonder, Brigitte Macron, the french first lady is often dressed by Louis Vuitton. She made a good choice because, on her, it is very flattering.

VINTAGE SHOPPING IN ROME IN THE BEST FLEA MARKET

In Rome, on Sundays, it is possibile to shop all day in "Garage Sale- Rigattieri per hobby" a great flea market.

It was invented by Enrico Quinto and Paolo Tinarelli, two fashion collectors known all around the world. They have an important collection and some of their pieces have been exhibit in Victoria and Albert Museum, in Milano, in Brasil etc..

This elegant flea market is located in Piazza della Marina 32, off via Flaminia, not too far from Piazza del Popolo. You can get antiques, Baccarat Vases, Gucci and Vuitton bags but also bijoux, home living, foulards, little silver objects. And, of course, a lot of clothes from Emilio Pucci to Max Mara or Giorgio Armani.

It is also possible to rent a stand and get rid of what you want.

The price goes from 92 euros to 160 euros. Depending on  the space you need. To book you have to call or send an email to creativitalia.natascia@hotmail.it or phone +39065880517

It opens at 10 am and close at 7 pm. It is fun also because sometimes you can bump into a VIP. Not only italian showbusiness people. Last year, for example, I saw Diane Keaton. She was working on a movie in Cinecittà for few weeks. She came at the Garage Sale. Nobody bothered her. Her driver was waiting outside. An unforgettable moment. She paid, like everyone else, to get inside. The entrance ticket is 1,60 euro.