The Ladybug apre le porte del suo Vintag shop: un tour virtuale nel mio mondo vintage!

IT: Poco più di un mese fa vi ho raccontato del mio sogno nel cassetto che è diventato realtà grazie a Vintag, la prima mobile app interamente dedicata al vintage per vendere e comprare online, grazie a cui ho finalmente creato quel negozio vintage che desideravo avere sin da quando ero una bambina che giocava con i vestiti della nonna.

Oggi invece voglio farvi entrare virtualmente nel mio negozio Vintag per raccontarvi cosa c’è dentro ed accompagnarvi in mezzo ad ognuno (o quasi!) dei pezzi che potete trovarci dentro perché ognuno di loro ha una storia da raccontare: un viaggio, un ricordo, un pezzo di un mondo lontano nello spazio e nel tempo.  Purtroppo non sempre ho il tempo di raccontarlo quando descrivo i pezzi che vendo, per questo ho deciso di farlo qui per cui mettetevi comodi, il tè e i pasticcini li offro io!

Il mio negozio si chiama TheLadybugChronicles, come il mio blog, un nome a cui tengo molto perché legato a tanti ricordi e perché rende l’idea del racconto: io – l’avrete capito – amo raccontare! In questo caso lo faccio tramite abiti, scarpe, borse, cappelli e altri accessori assolutamente originali (solo in pochi casi si tratta di riproduzioni in stile retrò e comunque lo specifico sempre) acquistati in Italia o in giro per il mondo in mercatini vintage, charity shop, negozi vintage e second-hand, fiere e addirittura qualche pezzo originale della mia infanzia come i maglioni Naf Naf o il cardigan e le felpe Best Company (queste ultime già vendute…chi di voi non le portava negli anni 90?) o giacche acquistate alla Montagnola di Bologna quando ero ancora una studentessa universitaria (doppiamente vintage!).

I miei pezzi quasi sempre raccontano un viaggio: alcuni vengono da Parigi, New York, Londra, Dublino, Francoforte, Lubiana e da tanti altri luoghi in cui ho scoperto un pezzo di vintage da portare con me. Alcuni li ho davvero scovati come si trova una perla in mezzo a tante cianfrusaglie come le scarpe rosse di Bally (un ritrovamento che mi ha quasi emozionato al Salvation Army di New York) o quelle di Escada e di Marc Jacobs (reperite in un negozietto di seconda mano a Francoforte in mezzo a tante scarpe vecchiotte e malandate) o ancora il cerchietto di Pucci (“abbandonato” in un charity shop di New York).

Ci sono pezzi easy anni 80 acquistati nei vari negozi Humana nel mondo (soprattutto abitini e camicie) o in mercatini e charity shop di tutto il mondo insieme a pezzi rarissimi di designer come gli occhiali trasparenti con gli strass di Yves Saint Laurent (un pezzo unico, anni 80, acquistato alla Fiera del Vintage di Padova) e quelli a gatto di Dior (un pezzo tra i miei preferiti in assoluto, recuperati da un’ottica in chiusura che li aveva in magazzino, così come quelli iconici e introvabili di Silvano Naldoni a farfalla rosa e azzurri) o quelli anni 80 sempre di Dior con il vecchio logo “CD” sulle aste laterali acquistati alla Fiera del Vintage di Forlì in una delle sue primissime edizioni.

E tanto altro ancora: cappe e pellicce vintage acquistate dalle vecchiette che vendono i loro pezzi davanti alle chiese per beneficenza; cappellini retrò per tutti i gusti e di tutte le forme/epoche provenienti da charity shop londinesi o da mercatini vintage di mezza Europa; pochette anni 80 che collezionavo ogni volta che mi recavo a Londra (praticamente una volta all’anno) dove si possono trovare le borsette vintage più belle in assoluto; abiti acquistati online o recuperati a casa di persone che svuotavano armadi e soffitte; stivali texani originali americani acquistati a New York in ottime condizioni.

E poi ci sono io, non solo a preparare pacchetti e a imbustare vestiti e scarpe per metterli in viaggio verso le vostre case e i vostri armadi con la gioia di sapere che troveranno presso di voi tanto amore e tanta cura. Ci sono io perché tutti questi pezzi non sono stati comprati per essere venduti, ma li ho comprati per me, perché li ho amati sin dal primo momento e perché li volevo con me. Sono cose che ho scelto per il mio gusto e che per qualche motivo non indosso più perché non mi stanno più bene o perché non c’è più spazio nei miei armadi e in qualche modo devo lasciarle andar via. A volte provo un certo dispiacere quando vendo dei pezzi a cui sono molto legata perché vorrei tenerli ancora: riguardo le foto in cui li indossavo con un po’ di nostalgia, ma sapere che andranno nelle mani di un altro amante del vintage mi rende più tranquilla perché è come consegnare qualcosa di tuo a qualcuno di cui ti fidi perché se ne prenda cura al posto tuo. E’ per questo che sono felice di avere uno spazio in una community come Vintag, perché so che chi acquista un mio ricordo personale lo amerà e ne avrà cura come se fosse un suo ricordo.

Se vi va contattatemi prima di acquistare un pezzo e sarò felice di raccontarvi qualcosa della sua storia, perché possiate anche voi tenerla viva. Sono certa che anche voi, come me, conservate quei piccoli oggetti che spesso si trovano nelle borse vintage (un penny, cento lire, una forcina, uno specchietto, un foglio di carta ingiallita) perché fanno parte della storia dei quell’oggetto. Ecco, allo stesso modo quando acquistate un pezzo da me vorrei lasciarvi un ricordo di cosa quel pezzo ha vissuto mentre era insieme a me.

EN: Last month I told you the story of my childhood dream turning into reality thanks to Vintag, the first mobile app completely dedicated to vintage, to buy and sell online. I finally created the vintage shop that I dreamed of when I was a child playing with my granny’s clothes!

Today I want to let you virtually tour my Vintag shop and to tell you what you can find, the story behind each piece of the shop (well, some of them!) because they all have a story to be told: a trip, a memory, a little piece of a world faraway from here in space and time. Unfortunately I don’t always find the time to tell their story when I sell them, so I decided to do it here. Then take a seat, tea and pastries are offered!

The name of my shop is TheLadybugChronicles, which is also the name of my blog: this name is important to me because it contains a lot of my childhood memories including the idea of chronicling. As you probably understood I love telling stories! In this case I do it through clothes, shoes, bags, hats and other original vintage accessories (rarely through retro style repros and in these cases I always say that the piece is not original vintage) that I bought in Italy or throughout the world in vintage markets, charity shops, vintage and second-hand shops, vintage fairs and even some own original childhood pieces (the Naf Naf jumpers or the Best Company cardigan and sweaters – already sold – that were so incredibly popular in Italy in the 90s or some vintage pieces that I bought at the Montagnola market in Bologna when I was a student at University – double vintage!).

Most of the times the objects that I sell tell a story about traveling: some come from Paris, New York, London, Dublin, Frankfurt, Ljubljana, and many other places in the world where I found a vintage piece that I wanted to bring home with me. Some of them were real pearls found in the middle of junk pieces, like the red Bally shoes (an emotional find in the Salvation Army in New York), or the Escada and Marc Jacobs shoes (found in a second-hand shop in Frankfurt in the middle of old shoes in bad conditions) or the Pucci headband (“abandoned” in a charity shop in New York).

There are many “easy” 80s pieces bought in as many Humana shops in the world (especially dresses and shirts) or in markets and vintage shops all over the world, along with rare designer pieces such as the Yves Saint Laurent transparent sequined eyeglasses (a very rare piece from the 80s bought at the Vintage Fair in Padua) and the cat-eye Dior sunglasses (one of my favorite pieces ever, found in the warehouse of a frames shop going out of business – same story for the iconic and impossible to find Silvano Naldoni pink and blue butterfly sunglasses) or the 80s Dior eyeglasses with the old “CD” logo on the side that I bought at one of the first editions of the Vintage Fair in Forlì.

And so much more: vintage capes and fur coats bought from the old ladies selling pieces for a good cause outside the churches; retro hats for every style and era coming from London charity shops or vintage markets from all over Europe; 80s clutches that I used to collect every time that I was in London (basically once a year) where there are the best vintage bags ever; dresses bought online or “rescued” from people emptying closets and attics; original Texan boots bought in New York and in great conditions.

And then there is me: not only me preparing packages and putting dresses and shoes inside to send them around the world to your houses and wardrobes with the joy of knowing that they will find love and care from you. There is me because all of these pieces were not bought to be sold, I bought them for me, because I loved them at first sight and I wanted them with me. I chose them following my taste and for some reason I don’t use them anymore or there is no more space in my wardrobe to keep them and in some way I have to let them go. Sometimes I feel sad when I sell pieces that have a meaning to me because I want to keep them: I look back nostalgically at pictures where I wore them but knowing that they will be in the hands of another vintage lover makes me feel better; it is like giving something that you care for to someone you trust for him/her to take care of it at your place. This is why I am happy of having my own space in a vintage community such as Vintag, because I know that the person that will buy one of my personal memory will love it and will take care of it as if it was his or hers.

If you like I would be happy if you contact me before buying a piece from my shop, so that I can tell you something about its story for you to keep it alive. I am sure that you, like me, treasure the small objects that we often find in vintage bags (a penny, an hairpin, a small mirror, an old piece of paper) because they are part of the story of the object. Well, in the same way I would love that when you buy from me, I can leave you a memory of that piece when it lived with me.

The Ladybug e un sogno che diventa realtà: finalmente il mio negozio “Vintag”!

IT: Quando da bambina mi chiedevano cosa volessi fare da grande la mia risposta era sempre la stessa: voglio vendere i vestiti della nonna. All’epoca tutti ridevano perché conoscevano bene il mio amore per l’armadio della nonna, quello vero: infilarmi tra quei vestiti e borsette, gioielli e scarpe era la mia più grande delizia. Non vedevo l’ora di crescere per poterli indossare anch’io! Ma non ne volevo dei nuovi, volevo proprio quelli della nonna! E con quelli giocavo alla negoziante, facendo finta di vendere quei pezzi a mia sorella che invece giocava il ruolo della cliente di questo personalissimo negozio!

Da adolescente poi l’espressione “vendere i vestiti della nonna” è diventata “avere un negozio di second hand”. La mia visione si era evoluta soprattutto durante i miei primi viaggi a Londra e a Parigi dove avevo scoperto che i vestiti dell’armadio della nonna si vendevano in piccoli negozi e banchi nei mercatini dell’antiquariato che chiamavano second hand a Londra o friperies a Parigi.

Quando iniziai l’università, nonostante studiassi per diventare traduttrice, il mio sogno nel cassetto prese un nuovo nome, che sentii forse per la prima volta al mercato della Montagnola a Bologna: volevo “avere un negozio di vintage” in cui vendere proprio quei pezzi con il profumo di passato che pullulavano tra i banchi della Montagnola! Nel frattempo mi sono laureata e ho iniziato a lavorare ma quel sogno è rimasto sempre lì. D’altronde ancora oggi vesto vintage, scrivo di vintage e da qualche settimana ho anche un piccolo negozio di vintage!

Ebbene sì, piano piano quel sogno che mi porto dietro da più di 20 anni inizia a diventare realtà grazie a una semplice ma geniale mobile app: Vintag (si può scaricare qui). Qualche mese fa, ho scoperto quest’app su Instagram e incuriosita ho deciso di scaricarla. Era un periodo abbastanza frenetico al lavoro e non avevo avuto il tempo di approfondire fino alle vacanze di Natale, quando ho capito che in quell’app c’era tutto quello che avevo sempre sognato: un mondo pieno di “roba della nonna” a portata di clic! Vintage, modernariato, antiquariato, collezionismo e icone da venditori provenienti da tutta Italia, insomma un piccolo paradiso per tutti gli appassionati del genere. Non mi sembrava vero! Ed era solo l’inizio. Ne ho parlato nella mia rubrica mensile sul blog di Opherty & Ciocci come la nuova frontiera dello shopping vintage online: tutto il vintage d’Italia in una semplice app! Non solo negozi di antiquariato, abbigliamento vintage e collezionisti ma anche tanti privati che vogliono vendere e comprare comodamente dal divano di casa, in metropolitana o durante la pausa pranzo in ufficio…non è fantastico?

Ho deciso di iniziare ad usarla e l’ho trovata incredibilmente veloce, pratica e user friendly: ci vuole meno di un minuto per pubblicare un’inserzione, il tutto in modo assolutamente semplice e intuitivo.

Inoltre ho scoperto che Vintag è anche una grande community per tutti gli appassionati del settore, per chi vende, per chi compra, per chi è follemente innamorato del vintage, per chi è alle prime armi e per chi è solo curioso, per chi ha ancora nel cuore l’armadio della nonna. La pagina Facebook e il profilo Instagram sono ricchissimi di contenuti interessanti e sono in enorme crescita. D’altronde Vintag aspira a diventare la più grande comunità vintage italiana e a breve si arricchirà anche di contenuti in inglese.

Come se non bastasse ho anche scoperto un servizio fantastico (di cui mi avvarrò anch’io a breve) di “consulenza vintage” raggiungibile via mail (consulenze@vintag.store) o tramite la community di Vintag su Facebook. In altre parole se avete dubbi sull’autenticità di un oggetto, sul periodo di appartenenza o sul suo valore di mercato basta contattare Vintag per avere un parere da un team di esperti del settore. Non so a voi ma a me capita spesso di trovare dei pezzi che non so datare o dei possibili fake per i quali devo sempre aspettare di trovare un esperto per farli valutare (anche perché l’autovalutazione con supporto online non è proprio affidabilissima!).

Tutto questo per dirvi che TheLadybugChronicles è oggi un piccolo negozietto online su Vintag! Ci sono alcuni pezzi vintage provenienti dal mio guardaroba (non da quello della nonna però!) e alcuni pezzi scovati durante i miei viaggi nei mercatini vintage di tutto il mondo. Se vi va di dare un’occhiata al mio primo negozio vintage online (sono emozionata solo a scriverle queste parole!) basta cercare TheLadybugChronicles sull’app!

Voglio sapere cosa ne pensate del mio negozietto, dell’app Vintag, della community social…sono curiosissima di sentire il vostro parere!

EN: When I was a kid people used to ask me what I wanted to do when I grew up and my answer was always the same: I want to sell granny’s clothes. At the time people laughed about it because they all knew about my love for my granny’s wardrobe, the real one: my biggest joy was slipping into it, among those beautiful dresses, bags, jewels and shoes. I couldn’t wait to grow up and wear them too! But I didn’t want new clothes, I just wanted hers! With those clothes I used to play “the shop” with my sister: I sold her the beautiful pieces and she was my favorite customer!

When I was a teenager, “selling my granny’s clothes” became “have a second-hand shop”. My vision evolved especially during my very first trips to London and Paris where I realized that the same clothes of my granny’s wardrobe were sold in small shops or on antiques’ markets stalls and they were called second hand in London and friperies in Paris.

When I started university, although I was studying to become a translator, my childhood dream changed name again. Probably I heard that name for the first time at the Montagnola market in Bologna: I wanted to “have a vintage shop” where I could sell all those pieces smelling the past that I used to see in that market’s stalls. In the meanwhile I graduated and I started working but that dream is still there. After all I still dress vintage, I write about vintage and since a few weeks ago I also have a small vintage shop!

Oh yes! That 20-year old dream is slowly turning into reality thanks to a very simple but genius mobile app: Vintag (you can download here). A few months ago I discovered the app on Instagram: I was very curious and I decided to download it. It was such an hectic moment at work so I didn’t have enough time to study it until the Christmas holidays when I realized that in that app there was everything I have been dreaming of: a world full of “granny’s stuff” just a click away! Vintage, antiques, collectibles coming from Italian sellers, a real paradise for vintage lovers. I couldn’t believe it! And it was just the beginning. I mentioned it on my monthly column on Opherty & Ciocci blog as the new era of online vintage shopping: all the Italian vintage in one app! Not only antiques’ shops, vintage clothing and collectors but also many private sellers who want to buy and sell from the sofa, on the subway or during their lunch break…isn’t that great?

I decided to start using it and I found it incredibly quick, practical and user friendly: it takes less than a minute to publish an ad in a very simple and intuitive way.

I also found out that Vintag is a huge community for all the vintage lovers, for the sellers and buyers, for those who are deeply in love with vintage, for the beginners, for the curious, for those who have their granny’s wardrobe still in their heart. Their Facebook page and their Instagram profile are full of interesting contents and they are growing fast. After all Vintag wants to be the biggest Italian vintage community and it will add soon also contents in English.

As if this was not enough I also found out a fantastic service (that I will use soon) of “vintage consulting” that you can activate via email (consulenze@vintag.store) or via the Vintag Facebook community: if you have doubts about the authenticity of an object, about the era or the market value you can contact Vintag to receive an opinion from a team of vintage experts. It often happens to me to find objects that I am not able to date or possible fake for which I always need to wait for an expert opinion (also because I don’t trust self-evaluation with online support that much!).

So in the end TheLadybugChronicles is now a small online vintage shop on Vintag! Some pieces come from my wardrobe (not from my granny’s one though!) and some come from my travel experiences in vintage markets from all over the world. If you want to have a look at my first online vintage shop (I feel excited when I’m writing these words!) you can look for TheLadybugChronicles in the app.

I want to know what you think about my little shop, the Vintag app and the social community…I am very curious to know your opinion!

 

The Ladybug’s Thursday Riot at Bloody Edith Atelier

One of my favorite spots for retro inspired clothing and accessories in Milan is the lovely Atelier in via Col di Lana 8 (in a beautiful Milanese court) called Bloody Edith. There are many reasons why I love this place:

1. The owner and founder of Bloody Edith is one of the most adorable vintage ladies I have ever met;
2. The retro striped tops and other handmade 50’s inspired pieces are to die-for;
3. The shop itself looks like a retro paradise with vintage and feminine pieces everywhere;
4. The atmosphere: more than a shop I would say a vintage boudoir;
5. The Thursday Riot: about every month this boutique turns into a vintage party venue, with drinks and snacks but, more important, with a “vintage” guest for customers’ pleasure!

The last Thursday Riot event hosted the lovely Valentina from Déjà Vu Vintagepedia, one of my favorite vintage jewelry seller, with the best vintage European and American pieces and amazing bakelite jewels.

It was great to spend time with the girls (and Madame Ilary who celebrated her birthday there!) and to meet new “vintage ladies” who tried with us almost all the amazing vintage necklaces and earrings from Déjà Vu! Even if I was distracted by vintage jewelry I couldn’t help falling in love with the new trousers and shorts (in perfect 50’s style) from the winter collection, and to keep my love alive for the striped sweaters (I was thinking of starting to collect them!).

I tried to take some pictures of the event so that you can understand what I mean…and visit this adorable boutique as soon as you can if you haven’t done it yet!

As for me, I can’t wait for the next Thursday Riot at Bloody Edith (and to get my next striped top!)

I wore Sportmax coat, vintage French beret with vintage hatpin from Tricia Leonard in Munich, Muji preppy scarf.

The Ladybug in Vintage Bruxelles pt. 2

If possible, our second day in Bruxelles was even better than the first one!

We woke up in a beautiful, warm and sunny day and we started the day with one of the best hot chocolates and macarons from the famous Marcolini…do you know a better start? Consider that what came after was even better!

Our Sunday was indeed specially dedicated to vintage hunting in the most vintage area of Bruxelles, the Marolles: it is the place that you cannot miss as it is a mixture of hipster, vintage and retro with plenty of amazing shops from home-décor to art and of course, vintage! I loved all the incredible street art in the area and I couldn’t help asking my favorite photographer friend Valentina to take some pictures of me with my favorite ones!

But when you head to the area on a Sunday morning, the first thing to do is a visit to the Jeu de Balle, the most famous antiques and flea market in town: the atmosphere is friendly and relaxed and the bargains are easy to find. We just enjoyed the vibrant market in the square and we got lost among the crowd in this adorable market!

Before a perfect outdoor lunch in one of the loveliest restaurant in rue des renards, Restobière, we headed to the famous vintage shop Foxhole Vintage in the same street and we continued our vintage shopping session started the day before: shoes, skirts, hats and dresses were on the list and it wasn’t easy to pick up our favorites in this colored and well assorted vintage shop! Pricing is absolutely honest and the gems that you can find here are worth a long visit, just to have the time to check almost everything in case you miss something very important waiting for you in the next hangers!

We also visited one of the oldest vintage shops in Bruxelles, Bernard Gavilon but we didn’t know that he is very famous in Bruxelles since the 80’s when he used to animate the town nightlife and that he was the first to open a vintage shop longtime ago (at least, that’s what we’ve been told!). His little shop in rue de Blaes is very crowded and full of clothes, accessories and homeware but I couldn’t find the “rare piece” and the right atmosphere that I expected to be honest. Still if you love vintage like I do it is a place to visit, at least to meet him in person!

Last but not least, you must grab your biggest bargains at Melting Pot Kilo, a lovely vintage shop in rue Haute that you shouldn’t miss because of their incredible vintage kilo sale: 15 euros for one kilo of clothes is really cheap and you won’t be disappointed by their selection as, unlikely the average vintage kilo sales we are used to see, here you can really find some lovely pieces for ridiculous prices! (For example I bought a floral circle skirt for 3 euros).

If you are in Bruxelles at the right time you can also look for the Brussels Vintage Market in the Halles de Saint Géry: it takes place every first Sunday of the month; locals say that it is a bit more expensive than the regular shops, but I guess that you can just have a look and confirm – or not – what they say! (This might also be my excuse to go back to Bruxelles again soon!)

If you are around, I also suggest visiting L’atelier en ville, a concept store in an incredible location where you can buy art and clothes but also drink and eat in one of the most interesting places in town!

As if all this wasn’t enough, the four girls moved to the lovely Flagey area, with the lovely lakes and beautiful houses but also with a lot of beautiful people enjoying the warm and sunny day in the park or in one of the many bars along the way. No need to say that we joined them for our last aperitif before leaving this warm and welcoming town, our lovely friends and one of the funniest and most pleasant weekends ever during which we did all the things that we love more with some very special and beloved friends!

Bye bye Bruxelles…see you soon!

Dress: Episode Vintage Bruxelles; Sneakers: New Balance; Bag: Balenciaga; Sunglasses: Prada

The Ladybug in Vintage Bruxelles pt. 1

Did you know that Bruxelles is considered one of the European capitals of vintage? And did you know that this is absolutely true?

I first went to Bruxelles more than ten years ago and I was shocked to see how much it changed in just a decade! The occasion was a visit with my old friend Valentina who moved there not too long ago, and I must say that we spent one of the best weekends EVER!

The weather was pretty awesome, food and beer just delightful and company was perfect. We enjoyed two beautiful days around the city and we visited some of the best vintage shops in town. And I must say: not only are there tons of incredible vintage shops in town, but the selection and prices are really interesting (no need to say I bought a lot of stuff right?!).

For the first day we got lost around the city and her incredible sights, walking all day and visiting all the most important touristic sites: from the Grande Place to the Manneken Pis, the Royal Palace and its gardens, the Sablon and Grand Sablon with its beautiful and flowery squares, Sainte Catherine and the incredible Magritte Museum. But we also got lost inside the lovely shops: amazing “chocolateries,” the incredible street art at every corner and the beautiful alleys of the old town. We also walked to the Chatelaine area, one of the most vibrant areas of the town. And a bit outside of the touristic tours (this is one of the advantages of visiting the town with someone living there!), we visited the incredible museum Horta.

In this area we found the lovely Retro Paradise, part of the “Les Petits Riens” charitable association. They have a huge stock of recycled clothes where you can spot some gems in the mess and with very low prices (I got a lovely Audrey Hepburn style hat for 7 euros!). It’s such the famous charity shop in town that it has inspired local fashion designers to host an annual show based on outfits bought at Les Petits Riens.

On the way back to our dinner (typical Belgian “moules and frites” – mussels and French fries – at the historical restaurant Chez Leon), we stopped by one of the best vintage shops in Bruxelles (in my opinion): Episode. This shop is not far from the Grande Place. It is a bit scary when you get in because of the huge amount of clothing and accessories that you can find there, but once you are amerced- the overwhelming feeling quickly subsides. I loved the dresses, trousers, shirts and jackets and the incredible stock of vintage kimonos. We couldn’t resist, even my friends who are not specially vintage fans, buying incredible pieces there (the prices were also very tempting I must say!). Of course I got a vintage kimono and a couple of dresses that I can’t wait to show you!

I wore retro inspired Zara striped culottes, Mango navy sweater, Cos white t-shirt, my new super comfortable New Balance sneakers and my thrifted Balenciaga bag.

The Ladybug Makes Good Excuses: Besciamella at Sofia Vintage

In my last post I talked about my excuses to go to Rome, but excuses to travel to Rome aren’t the only excuses that I make.

Recently I made my usual excuse to visit Roberta at her lovely renovated Sofia Vintage shop in Como, but this time I added a tasty event hosted by Besciamella Eventi on how to decorate fashionable cookies! As I am not good at anything related to cooking and baking, you may easily understand that this excuse was a bit of a stretch!

Still I enjoyed watching the lovely ladies making colorful decorations on shoe and dress shaped cookies, sipping champagne and eating strawberries while meeting new and old friends on a sunny Spring day in Como!

Apparently, anything can happen in a vintage shop, especially when it looks like a home!

And here comes my true excuse: it was also the occasion to have a look at the new summer collection, along with the new pieces from Madame Ilary… plus the new amazing swimwear from Frida Querida!

For the occasion I decided to create a vintage inspired outfit using only one vintage piece, this beautiful ’40s handbag from Vintage Galerija in Ljubljana. I wore a striped t-shirt and culottes from Dixie, Camper flats and a handmade striped turban from Madame Ilary.

The Ladybug is Proud to Announce the Madame Ilary for Sofia Vintage Collaboration!

What happens when two women that you love, admire and support (both in life and work) combine their amazingness? Well; in my opinion, an awesome result which I’ll prove in this post!

So let’s start from the beginning: Ilaria, founder of Madame Ilary, is my beautiful friend that I met last year during a theatre piece for which she was making costumes (yes, she is a talented costume designer!). We immediately felt the connection and she asked me if I was interested in seeing some of her handmade headpieces (turbans in particular). I accepted immediately, and a few weeks later I was at her studio where she showed me her amazing creations. I fell in love with her and with her talent- and, I’ll have you know, I now wear her turbans and her creations in general almost every day! She just doesn’t stop surprising me with her talent and creativity! Roberta is the wonderful owner of one of the most beautiful vintage shops I’ve ever visited, Sofia Vintage in Como. I met her last year too, at the opening of her shop and there again I felt that “something!” She’s a Leo, incredible vintage lover and expert, huge traveler… we shared too many things in common to let this new friendship go! Her second home, Sofia Vintage, is exactly the shop of my dreams and I love every single piece that she picked!

I share with them a lot of passion, willingness, strength, ambition and hidden dreams- which made us good friends. So it was almost natural that Ilaria’s and Roberta’s paths through me would sooner or later cross. Fortunately this happened quite quickly (a few months ago) and it ended with a beautiful collection created by Madame Ilary for Sofia Vintage with an incredible retro touch. I had the chance to have a little preview of this amazing spring-summer collection, now available at Sofia Vintage, and I was completely blown away by the incredible patterns and style of the midi circle skirts, the amazing turbans and other pieces that I can’t reveal right now, but you’ll soon see here!

As for me, in the middle of this amazingness, I had the chance to model some pieces of this first collection! I was completely at ease in these circle skirts paired with knot turbans, vintage clutches and hats. And I can’t wait to show you the new pieces coming soon!

When Italian handmade quality meets vintage and retro style, when style meets creativity, when vintage meets handcraft, when talent meets originality… this is what can happen!

Good luck to my beautiful friends and to this new incredible collaboration that starts with the of best promises!

The Ladybug’s Trip Through Vintage Munich: The Best Vintage Shops in Town!

As you may have seen from my Facebook page, I spent a few weeks in Munich this past January doing a lot of work, but with the weekends came freedom and with freedom came time to spend hunting vintage treasuries in Deutschland!

There’s a lot to say about Munich and about what to do, eat and see while there. But we’ll discuss these things in the next posts as I decided that I would start with… vintage!

We all know Berlin as the “vintagiest” town in Germany, but you will be surprised to find out how many (great) vintage shops I found in cold snowy Munich.

As you can imagine, I did some research before hitting the road and some other shops appeared during the journey, but let me tell you about my favorite so you too can put them on your “must stop” list while visiting this extraordinary city!

Tricia Leonard was the first on my list. It was the first place I visited and the shop where I left my heart (for many reasons). First, because of Tricia herself: a beautiful jazz singer with a history that taps into Milan. We started talking as if we were old friends (yes, that’s the power of vintage!). She is such a lovely woman with great style, taste and an incredible story, and her shop is a direct reflection of her person. You won’t find a lot of clothing, but tons of amazing accessories and jewelery dating back to the ’20s. You won’t believe your eyes! Her collection of brooches really left me open-mouthed, but more than that- I fell in love with her fantastic collection of hatpins. Hatpins are one of my favorite vintage accessory ever! It’s very hard to find good ones, but in Tricia’s shop- I couldn’t decide which one to pick (I picked three indeed!).  I’m telling you, this shop is to-die-for!

Next door to Tricia is another lovely vintage shop, very different style, more eccentric and maybe more the style of shops that I expect to find in Berlin… I would call it a postmodernist shop! The name is Cat with a Hat (adorable!)… and as I love both (cats and hats) I couldn’t help stepping in to take a look! Very colorful and funny shop with some statement pieces that are really worth your time!

Walking in the same area (the so-called vintage area of Munich) we found another crazy vintage shop… I would say more surreal: Alexas. There you’ll find amazing statement pieces from the late ’70s and ’80s, but stay away if you don’t like buying items that demand the spot light because Alexas’ inventory is notorious for capturing the eye! I bought a lovely velvet 1980s does the ’20s hat (you can see it in the last picture with my new hatpins!).

Last but not least: Vintage Love… a real paradise for vintage lovers! If I was richer, I would have left with half of the shop, but I tried on tons of clothes and shoes (and bags) even if nothing really fit me well (good news for my credit card!). In Vintage Love you can find almost everything and of very good quality.  Now, in glorious vintage custom, you’ll have to take your time and search, but you can find whatever your heart desires: from wonderful designer gowns to more casual clothes, shoes and very rare handbags and jewels. It is a bit more pricey, of course, but the pieces are well priced without much exaggeration (you know I am an expert on vintage pricing!). The shop is very spacious and you will probably have that feeling of “Where should I begin?” But once you’ve found your way, you can get completely lost in this wonderful shop that is really worth a visit.

The Ladybug Feels at Home at Sofia Vintage in Como

Two weeks ago I told you about the party for the Gloook opening in Como and guess what? It opened just a few steps from my adored vintage shop Sofia Vintage, so as you can imagine I couldn’t help heading in to see what’s new and say hi to Roberta and her crew!

It is amazing how incredibly at home I feel in this place: it’s an atmosphere that you can breathe, feel and bask in because it looks more like a home than a shop. There are books, sofas, a sewing machine, a wardrobe and all the things that you usually find in a house- plus there is always something to drink or eat like in the home of any perfect host.

But this feeling doesn’t come just from the furniture and location, it originates mostly from the warmth of those who “live” there, beginning with Roberta, the owner and founder of Sofia Vintage, who also serves as “the host” of this beautiful house!

Many new arrivals from Roberta’s trips around the world were there, and I couldn’t help having a look and buying some new vintage stuff… like this lovely ’40s white hat that I can’t wait to wear!

It’s also always nice to hear her stories about her trips to the States (where most of her pieces come) and to get some tips from her on vintage hunting especially in New York!

Outfit: Anymoore jacket, H&M faux leather midi skirt, ASOS blouse, Marni sandals, Sofia Vintage bag

The Ladybug Discovers a New Magical Vintage Land: The Opening of Sofia Vintage in Como

Of all the events that I am invited to, the opening of a vintage shop always thrills me greatly.

I am a vintage fan, of course, but the charge of all that’s happening around a vintage shop opening: first of all I feel blessed because in my country the culture of vintage is becoming more and more popular, and with this I already seeing and further hope that it will forge forward from what it is now and permeate people’s understanding of what wearing vintage means. Secondly, I know that every time I’m involved in the “discovery” of a magical new world, I’ll be sure to find a little piece of history and love for the past that will always surprise me. And this is what happened when I stepped into Sofia Vintage in Como: I felt as if I had gone into someone’s home from the warmth and the beauty of the place: wonderful location with old flavor, vintage floors, beautiful retro details, amazing clothes and accessories, vintage furniture and a real Singer sewing machine (still in use) for your vintage stitches and repairs. Roberta, the founder, is a real vintage addict and her passion and research can be tasted in the very air of her shop.

I first came to know her from her beautiful shop called Glook in the center of Como. But with her new shop Sofia, she now has the space to present in greater depth her knowledge and passion for vintage. The pieces that she brought into her shop are accurately chosen and well displayed. I fell in love with the style and with her impeccable taste. When we talked about her love for vintage and how she started selecting clothes from all over the world, I felt as if we were Carrie and Samantha sharing stories over a cosmo, the conversation was just that intimate and I was amazed by her love for detail and quality.

The masterpieces in her shop were multiple: from the houndstooth vinyl jacket, to the black and white ankle boots, and her amazing collection of perfectly cared for soft wool and cashmere jumpers (sweaters). Plus there were beautiful wool coats and shirts of amazing quality, sunglasses and a love for simple yet impressive lines.

I also appreciated the honest and spot-on pricing, one of my biggest complaints in the pricey Italian vintage market. Honest pricing is a rare quality and I’ve always appreciated it because it is a clear sign of pure love and knowledge of the sector.

So whether you’re a vintage lover or not, if  ever you’re in Como, you must visit Sofia Vintage. I am sure that you will love it and you will also grab a quality bargain.

It was also a pleasure meeting some of my fellow bloggers and to finally bring KNAGUI with me during this vintage excursion! It was a lovely event too, perfectly organized by News Eventi Como PR, with nice people, healthy drinks, popcorn and the elegance of Roberta, the founder of Sofia Vintage! Plus a beautiful goodie-bag with a vintage handbag that I am going to wear on the blog soon!

I wore a retro inspired outfit with a Miss Selfridge silk dungaree, charity shop silk blouse, retro t-bars from New York and a vintage handbag from Foxy Brown. I added Punti di Vista vintage cat-eye frames and Lazzari headband.

[photo credit: KNAGUI]