Think of Italy and all things luxurious come to mind—Ferragamo, Gucci, Armani, Prada, Valentino. When an item is “Made in Italy,” there is the assurance of sophistication, class and uniqueness. And even if a product is somehow inspired by a legendary Italian street, it would be just as gorgeous.
SAVE MY BAG
After the influx of fast-fashion brands such as H&M from Sweden, Uniqlo from Japan, Forever 21 from the US, and SuiteBlanco from Spain, The SM Store is introducing Save My Bag from Italy.
Founded by Stefano Agazzi and Valentina Azzia, the eye-catching accessories line is made of poly-lycra, a material lighter and more durable than neoprene.
“An excellent craftsmanship to guarantee international success, Save My Bag is designed, manufactured and produced in Italy, in our hometown Bergamo,” the young couple stated in their web site, savemybag.it.
The bag was first designed as a stylish protection for luxury designer bags. But when it was “discovered” by fashion visionary Patricia Field, Save My Bag became a regular bag.
“Love at first sight! The ‘Icon’ bag is everything a bag should be: lightweight, strong, happy and gorgeous! Grab one; I did!” gushed the stylist for Sex and the City, Ugly Betty, The Devil Wears Prada. “This is the ultimate bag, glamorous and fun, for all the women who want to add a touch of color! Superchic bag, made with new, fresh and affordable materials: the best Italian-made Lycra.”
Besides the “Icon” collection, Save My Bag’s lines include Cartoon (“a funny companion to a thousand adventures”); Joy (“enchanting and casual style featuring a spacious interior, and pairs easily with any wardrobe”); Portofino (“spacious, light and with a zipper to comfortably manage the essentials”); and Fresh (“cool and feminine with a perforated characteristic and includes a discreet, color-coordinated clutch).
Save My Bag has a charming corner at the SM Makati called Little White Box, which is a store within a store inspired by the design of architect and artist Carlo Calma that carries world-class brands not found anywhere else. All focused on accessories, the items displayed inside Little White Box will soon feature colorful eyewear next.
VIA VENETTO
Via Veneto is the most elegant street in Rome. Long before it was immortalized in Federico Fellini’s La Dolce Vita, it was the epicenter of celebrity life in Italy, attracting the likes of Audrey Hepburn, Anita Ekberg, Gary Cooper, Tennessee Williams and Coco Chanel to its cafés and five-star hotels.
Hereabouts, Via Venetto (with an extra T) is a shoe brand made of classy, durable and fine Italian and European leathers with more than 40 years of dominance in the local shoemaking market. Its current collection is comprised of ballerina flats and loafers in a variety of shades; platforms, classic pumps, sandals, slingbacks, wedges and mules in woven, glittery leathers, snakeskin, patent and new fashion finishes.
Via Venetto creates its shoes by using a 39-step process of shoemaking by hand called fatto a mano, which is practiced by all world-renowned shoemakers. It is this kind of meticulous attention to detail that makes the brand a step ahead of the competition.
“At Via Venetto, we have always stayed true to our cherished tradition of superior craftsmanship and our use of only the world’s finest leathers to make high-quality shoes. Hindi pwede ang pwede na,” said Ging Pajaro, the company president. “It is this tradition which earned us a loyal patronage through the years, and which will enable us to keep our leadership and special place in the hearts of our clients and in the Philippine shoe market.”