Black Friday - the Made in Italy edition
24 November 2022
3 minutes
The event has now also become a custom in Italy and is often the time to start thinking about Christmas presents.
This year, let's do away with queues outside shops and waiting at the computer, and turn Black Friday into something different: an opportunity to rediscover, or discover for the first time, the excellence of Made in Italy, and buy something that has a story to tell.
Here are Italy's regional excellences, and a few suggestions so you can hit the ground running on this Black Friday 2022.
A hatful of history, in the heart of Rome
Making a hat is not as simple as one might imagine; from the fabric to the shape, there are many variables to be taken into consideration. In Rome, this is well known.
Indeed, from the first workshop opened in the capital in 1930, to the present day, Roman craftsmen have come a long way, maintaining the same techniques, passion and care as in the past.
Crossing the threshold of the capital's many historic workshops, you will feel as if you are entering magical worlds, where wooden forms and manual ironing methods blend perfectly with contemporary trends.
Moreover, if you wish, in most of these, you can also commission a unique piece, tailor-made just for you or for the person to whom you would like to give it as a gift.
Travelling among perfumes in Florence
Always referred to as the city of Lilies, Florence does not hide its true essence: that of the Capital of Perfume. The art of perfumery in Florence has its roots in the customs of the Renaissance nobility. The city has always been at the forefront in this field, specialising in research and experimentation, thanks above all to the influence of Caterina De' Medici. Passed down in the annals among others as the queen of perfume, it was she who introduced the art of perfumery to the French court, with her trusted perfumer Renato Bianco and the friars of Santa Maria Novella.
Perfumeries and historic shops are scattered throughout the city and its environs. In most of them, in addition to purchasing, it is possible to create custom-made perfumes and fragrances under the expert guidance of perfumers, but also to participate in workshops to learn more about this world. These too could be perfect Christmas gifts.
In Naples, the city of gloves
Outside fine leather, inside silk linings or cashmere from Biella, always much sought after by customers. There are as many as 25 production steps involved in making a glove, and in Naples everything is done just as it was in the past.
The love affair between the capital of Campania and the art of glove-making has a long-standing origin, perpetuated to this day and now renowned all over the world. The art of the glove-maker is a great cultural value of the city.
Buying or giving a glove of authentic Campania tailoring means carrying on an endless tradition. Walking through the streets of Naples, it will be easy to come across numerous historical workshops and touch - literally with one's own hand - so much beauty, obviously Made in Italy.
Credit photo: Omega Gloves
All the sweetness of Sicily
If, instead of an accessory, the gift is to be tasted, food and wine souvenirs are perhaps the most welcome on return from a trip along the peninsula. If you are in Palermo, for example, even if only passing through, do not miss a gastronomic itinerary to savour Sicilian sweetness.
The really difficult thing will be to choose which one of the typical Sicilian sweets to try: from those made of marzipan, true works of art, to the great classics such as cannoli, cassata or granita with brioche.
Venice and the art of glassmaking
Why not take advantage of Black Friday and the advent of Christmas to give - or get - a truly unique gift? The enchanted lagoon of Venice hides a shining secret: the ancient art of glassmaking. Since the dawn of time, master glassblowers have been creating veritable works of art that, in the form of vases and numerous furnishing and non-furnishing accessories, have adorned Italian homes.
Strolling around the Serenissima, or heading to the folkloristic Murano, you will encounter many historical workshops and traditional shops, where you can admire, choose and purchase these glass masterpieces and find the perfect gift for this Christmas.
A day of pre-Christmas shopping in Italy becomes an opportunity to discover the excellence of the territories, where today, as in the past, craftsmanship is at the heart of expertise.
