Italy is synonymous of breathtaking sights, soft gelatto, and aromas that transform your senses. However, we would not want you to forget that sights don't only include monuments, sculptures, and paintings. Italy is also known for artistry outside of museums and rather in online shops and boutiques for accessories. We have curated this list of recommended sights if you want to see Italian brands that celebrate craftsmanship worthy of comparison to Michelangelo.

Atelier Rosantica

Your first stop is the Atelier Rosantica in the 19th district of Milan. This boutique garners all the elements of glam and fuses them together in their workshop to create dainty accessories. The face behind this brand is Michela Panero. The Italian designer worked for different haute couture maisons in the city and later became a citizen of the New York fashion scene. All of her designs have a story to tell from her background.

The Craft of Opulence is no Game

"We live in an age where superfluous things are our only needs." - Oscar Wilde

Get the best out of the Rosantica Atelier experience by pre-ordering from their limited collection. It features some of the most luxurious symbols of the jet-set lifestyle in handbag sizes such as champagne bottles and cake. Some may say the latter does not mean much, but those who know anything about real queens understand this is a silent wink to the original jet setter back from the ancien régime.

The design of her accessories are an extension of the lived opulence of haute couture. The craftsmen by her side make sure her pieces emanate this aspect. Elements such as pearls, satin, brass chains, and locks are ever present in each item. They are reminiscent of la belle époque without having a cadent style. In fact, all the creations of Atelier Rosantica, from the jewellery to the handbags, are versatile enough to be worn with anything as long the goal is to be delicate yet impactful.

Gedebe

This small Italian brand is for those who want to wear witness to quality in eclectic designs. Three elements are at the core of this brand.

Rhinestones

Bouclé

Satin

Rhinestones in lime, cherry, and plum tones line each accessory of the fall-winter collection in Gedebe. The miniature size and colours of these stones are reminiscent of tart candy. The time taken to stick each stone is telling of the artistry with which these bags are made.

Looking glam yet cosy in the winter is not a goal many can achieve. Still,  Gedebe strikes the perfect balance by lining handbags with bouclé textiles in neutral tones to fit the temperature of winter days. It is truly an artisan's workmanship to wear.

Angular cuts and rectangle shapes characterize the shoes and handbags of this brand. The geometry behind the designs are a testament of the trust in the expertise of the craftsmen. Few can manipulate satin without tearing it and still produce the seductive look that this textile so easily provides.

 The DNA

Extravagant embellishments are front and center priority for this brand.

Behind Gedebe

The mind behind this brand is Giuseppe Della Badia, who identifies  feminine maximalism with this brand.

THEMOIRè

Harmony in Union

"Reusing something means appreciating the intrinsic value of the original and then giving it a new life."

This brand seeks to show that the planet and its people can live in harmony without sacrificing aesthetic for either. To many, this may sound a like utopia, but for THEMOIRè these are marching orders.

The crafstmen of this brand are trusted with the manipulation of earthy materials. Coffee grain residues, apple peels, and pineapple leaves are turned into chains and textured linings in bags and shoes.

This brand breaks out of the mold in more ways than one. You will find different color palettes per collection, which many won't expect given it's strong stance on sustainability. It doesn't exclusively stick to earthy tones, rather a pop of colour is never to be missed.

Take the Dioni collection. It is heavily reliant on a palette of neutrals and still surprises you with an unexpected  pop of sky blue. THEMOIRè will prove time and again sustainability does not need to sacrifice taste.

IURI

Art imitates life... or rather life imitates life? You won't help but ask yourself this question once you finish browsing through the bags of IURI.

Every piece borrows from contemporary architectural movements. The craftsmen mimic the curves, straights, and geometric angles of buildings and recreate them into scaled-down versions of handbags.

IURI sticks to the monochrome yet plays with sterling elements occasionally.  The level of workmanship from the design to the execution makes you wonder why these bags are not exhibited in the MAMbo in Bolonia.

What makes the fashion scene in Italy different to other places in Europe is the willingness to do right by any piece or garment without sacrificing aesthetic under any circumstance. After all, some of the greatest works of art came from this place!

Writen by Gabriela Ordaz