MARGHERITA MISSONI RETURNS

In Rome if you want to find the Missoni brand, you can bump into it at the Spanish steps: in Rome we call it piazza di Spagna. Not everyone knows that Missoni has a young and less expensive line, called M Missoni. The company just announced that Margherita Maccapani Missoni has been appointed Creative Director. After bringing the M Missoni ready to wear license back in the house, the Group is working to innovate the style with this talented young girl. She is a socialite too with a lot of followers.

Margherita returns to the company after a few years. The SS 2020 will be the first one under her direction. Founded in 1998, the M Missoni brand has a turnover of over 50 million euros and is in 60 countries with over 700 stores. In Rome I know a boutique, called Mood, who has it. I just took there a client and She got a gorgeours dress without spending too much. Here is her official declaration: “ Being identified as the person who can lead the future course of the new M Missoni fills me with pride. It is exciting to have the opportunity to set new paradigms and forge new directions for this brand”.

They are betting a lot on her. Read this quote: “I am sure that Margherita Missoni’s creative talent, personal charisma and strong feeling of trends combined with her social network, will contribute in reaching a wide new and younger audience” says Michele Norsa, vice President of the Missoni Group.

The group was founded in 1953 by Ottavio and Rosita Missoni with a revolutionart knitwear fashion. We all miss a lot Tai (as we all call him) Rosita is now Honorary President and Creative Director of Missoni Home. She is the grandmother of Margherita. Today the group exports 75% of its production an is based in Sumirago (Varese) . It is owned at 58.8% by the Missoni family and at 41.2% by the fund FSI.

GLAMOUROUS PILLOWS FOR HOME LIVING SHOPPING IN ROME

Clients from abroad always ask for something unique when they come for shopping in Rome. They want exclusive style and they love italian craftmanship. A great example of success is Pois a Righe. It means peas with stripes. It is an elegant brand of pillows extremely crafted and sophisticated. Everything started from an idea of two interior decorators and stylists: Ottavia Borella and Barbara Mantovani from Milano. The land of design worldwide.

They both worked for prestigious magazines and decided to set this line made with samples of wools, linen and silk from the best areas in Italy for fabrics: Biella and Como. The cushions are double face. They can be in linen on one side and hemp on the other one but you have example also of flannel and silk, depending on the season.

In Rome you can find those lovely pillows at Mia Gallery in via di Ripetta, one of the most famous shop for interiors in the center. All those pillows are embroidered by hand. They have gorgeous sketches such as the swimmer, the diver, the horsewoman, the skier, the tennis player, the golfer etc…. They are also some nice and warm words such as Bonjour, Eté etc…the website is www.poisarighe.com Check it out for a soft surprise.

VERSACE ACQUIRED BY MICHAEL KORS

Versace in Rome is in piazza di Spagna. Shopping there is a great moment for anyone. Last week I was in Milano. I understood that something was going on few days ago when I bumped into Santo Versace in via Montenapoleone while he was going to see his daughter Francesca who was presenting her new line of accessories called F.e.v. Santo took me there and I must say that the bags are cute. The wired thing was double: first of all that, the day of the show, Santo instead of taking care of the last minute problems of a catwalk was walking to visit Francesca. The presentation was at the Nuovo Paper Moon, a charming restaurant with a garden near by .

The other weird thing was that, when I told him that, I was not invited to the Versace show, he said something that was completely different from his style: “There is nothing I can do about it “. He repeated it twice. And it was true as we can see today. In a lot of shows there is a bad climate because often the brands prefer to invite influencers than journalists. Everybody told us that the catwalk place of Versace, in Piazza VI Febbraio was extremely big so they could fit the double of the people. But now it is considered cool to have only 3 raws of people and hundred of square meters of an empty space.

The answer of Santo was a signal to tell me that He was out of it. Today all the news are talking about it: Versace had be sold for 2 billions dollars. An extremely good price for a Maison that, especially in the last years, recoverd from difficult moments. One of the good moves of Donatella (She will be there in a vaguely creaative position) was to get Gianni’s archives and make them live again. A great idea. This last collection in Milano (that I saw on line) is very colourful and easy to wear. We hope that Michael Kors will keep an eye on it. They acquired 100 per cent of the brand. Jonathan Akeroyd will remain as the CEO.