< Previous80 Condé Nast Traveller February 2020 STYLE GUIDE l HOW TO PACK l JACQUIE AICHE TRAVEL IN STYLE WORDS: SOPHIA SEYMOUR; PHOTO: SHUTTERSTOCKYou can’t go wrong in a city full of artisansL ess than three centuries ago, Naples was the capital of a kingdom, the centre of Europe and in competition with Paris as the chicest capital on the continent. Before the long period of decline that followed Italy’s unification, visitors – especially the British – headed to Naples for decadent souvenirs such as paintings, porcelain and mandolins. Today, with Naples in the throes of a renaissance since Elena Ferrante’s My Brilliant Friend (both the television series and the novels) placed it firmly on the map, the city’s streets are brimming with eager tourists once again. They’re here to see the treasures uncovered from the Greco-Roman period of antiquity and the grand Bourbon architecture of the 18th century, but also to spend time shopping the diverse independent boutiques peppering the ancient streets. THE NEIGHBOURHOOD TO SPEND A DAY IN In Naples’ historic centre, you’ll see a reclining statue of the God of the Nile, grasping an overflowing cornucopia. It’s an apt metaphor for the abundance of treasures that can be found in this area, which is filled with boutiques, workshops, tailors and artisans. You’ll find them along the narrow alleyways connecting the two central arteries of the historic centre, Via Benedetto Croce (nicknamed Spaccanapoli) and Via dei Tribunali. Vico San Domenico Maggiore is one such alley, and it was recently renamed “the artisans way,” as it is home to a number of craftsmen selling their wares. Along the short street you’ll find a violin luthier, a leather worker, a fashion designer and an artist who makes Burtonesque sculptures from twisting wire. However, it’s the sweet smells emanating from Kiphy Saponi (soap from AED 6; 0039- 340-284 9691, kiphy.it) that draw in shoppers with their homemade natural soaps – each one cut from vast slabs of marbled-coloured blocks and priced by weight. Wrapped in brown paper and string, they make a fantastic present for friends back home. THE BOOKSTORE WORTH RISKING YOUR LUGGAGE WEIGHT FOR Naples is home to two of the most prestigious universities in Italy, so the historic centre is dominated by students and academics that keep printing shops and bookshops thriving. At Port’Alba, between political graffiti and concert posters, stalls sell boxes of prints, dog-eared postcards of Neapolitan street scenes and tattered copies of the classics. At Via Santa Chiara 10h, Libreria Tàmú (books, price on request; 0039-081-1856 9839, tamulibri. wordpress.com) is a firm favourite of the intelligentsia crowd. Set up by friends to reflect the current political mood of their city, they sell books in a variety of languages covering immigration, post-colonial studies and feminism. THE FASHION ITEM YOU WON’T FIND BACK HOME Men with an appetite for impeccable tailoring should head to the wealthy Chiaia district, where independent boutiques and tailors are experts in quintessential Italian elegance. Harking back to the days before fast fashion, shirts and suits are still made with needle and thread by elderly masters of their trade, such as Mariano Rubinacci (shirts from AED 730; 0039-081-41 5793, marianorubinacci.net) and Gennaro Solito (ties from AED 400; 0039-08- 141 4095, sartoriasolito.it). For womenswear, visit RetroPhilia (prices on request; 0039-338-470 8359, facebook. com/retrophiliavintageclothing), located among the second-hand shops on Via Mezzocannone in the old town. By far the best vintage store in the city, the interior is stylish – original majolica floors and exposed tufo brickwork – and the exquisitely chosen wares are sold at reasonable prices. The collection, along with nearby sister shop HEM (prices on request; 0039-338-147 4844, facebook.com/ hemconceptstore), are frequently patronised GETTING THERE flydubai (flydubai.com) flies non-stop to Naples from Dubai February 2020 Condé Nast Traveller 83 SHOPPING From top: Glove-making at Omega Guanti; creating soaps at Kiphy Saponi; books at Libreria Tàmú; inside RetroPhilia; Omega Guanti gloves. Opposite: Menswear at Mariano Rubinacci. Previous pages, from left: The Galleria Umberto I shopping arcade in Naples; inside Mariano Rubinacci’s shop by designers from the top fashion houses looking for inspiration. THE STORE WORTH PLANNING YOUR DAY AROUND On the edge of the vibrant Rione Sanità district, up five flights of stairs of a weathered building, is Omega Guanti (gloves from AED 100; 0039-081-29 9041, omegasrl.com). It’s not strictly a shop, but the headquarters for family-run glove manufacturers, who have garnered a reputation for making the best leather gloves in the world since the 19th century. Alberto Squillace welcomes you into his workshop like an old friend and is far keener to share the history of the family business and the surrounding neighbourhood over a cup of coffee than to force you to buy something. Sewn mainly by women in their homes, there are 25 steps involved in making one glove. At each of these steps, the seamstress’ work is brought back to the workshop and inspected by Squillace, who obsessively ensures the quality of production. Pass by here to pick up a pair of gloves at wholesale price before they are shipped off around the world to the likes of Dior and Hermès for many times the price. THE MADE-TO-ORDER ITEM THAT’S WORTH SHIPPING No visit to Naples would be complete without a wander down Via San Gregorio Armeno, the alleyway where artisans have been making religious models and crib scenes since the 18th century. In workshops dotted along the street, artisans create miniature incarnations of community life in varying styles and scales. Pass by Alpa Presepi workshop (Via San Gregorio Armeno 14), notable because of the Greco-Roman marble relief at the entrance, where Aldo Vucai makes particularly beautiful figurines from terracotta, wire and silk, which are made to order and sent home bubble- wrapped in time for the following Christmas. THE CONVERSATION STARTER FOR WHEN YOU GET HOME Devotion to the local saints is still widespread in Naples, especially in the poorer neighbourhoods where small aedicula shrines decorate many street corners. Flowers and rosaries are often left as an offering, but when it comes to ill health, a common practice is to leave an ex- voto – a miniature metal imprint of the ailing body part – in exchange for a wish and a cure. You can find them at silversmiths such as Eboli Gioielleria e Argenteria (Via Benedetto Croce 35), where you can pick up an ex-voto to leave at an aedicula or to take home as a quirky souvenir. One suggestion: a pair of feet, as a remedy for all the stomping and shopping around the city. “THE INTERIOR OF RETROPHILIA IS STYLISH AND THE EXQUISITELY CHOSEN VINTAGE WARES ARE SOLD AT REASONABLE PRICES”1 2 4 3 STYLED BY: CHLOE BOSHER; PHOTO: EFRAIM EVIDORFebruary 2020 Condé Nast Traveller 85 LUGGAGE 5 6 8 7 1 Jolene recycled tote, AED 770, Bembien at attuale.com 2 Fan Ark bamboo bag, AED 750, Cult Gaia at ounass.ae 3 Lucia fibre bag, AED 914, Gustoko at villayasmine.com 4 Mini Falabella tote bag, AED 3,200, Stella McCartney at ounass.ae 5 Terra Tote in Bark, AED 992, Eurthlin 6 Kånken Mini backpack, AED 425, Fjällräven at Bauhaus 7 Belt/shoulder bag, AED 635, Eli’s Boots at goshopia.com 8 Elise Mini Satchel Bag Blush Pink, AED 3,250, Martina Wyss at goshopia.com Made from recycled materials, vegetable leather and natural fibres, carry a bag that does the world good SUSTAINABLE CHICSTYLED BY: JESSICA DIAMOND; ART DIRECTION: PAULA ELLIS; PHOTO: NATO WELTON; PROP SOURCING: REBECCA HARRIS Clockwise from top left: RM 17-01 Manual Winding Tourbillon, AED 3.16mn, Richard Mille; Limited- edition Tourbillon in gold, price on request, Bulgari; Baignoire in gold, AED 45,300, Cartier; Master Ultra Thin Date, AED 63,200, Jaeger-LeCoultre; Star Legacy Small Second, AED 32,300, Montblanc High Jewellery ring in white gold with onyx and diamonds, Bulgari; High Jewellery necklace in white gold with onyx and diamonds, Bulgari; Gazelle fur-free coat, Stella McCartney; Rose Pastille chainmail dress, Paco Rabanne; Ski mask loaned by Antique Ski Shop; Rug, vanity case and perfume bottle, all Granger Hertzog; Powder compact and lipstick case, both Trevor Howsam Ltd; Ski poles, Absolute Snow; Ashtray, stylist’s own TIME après TIME Vintage-inspired watches that recall chalet parties in a retro St MoritzFebruary 2020 Condé Nast Traveller 87 WATCHESSTYLED BY: JESSICA DIAMOND; ART DIRECTION: PAULA ELLIS; PHOTO: NATO WELTON Age-old traditions from Egypt come to life in wearable artefacts MAKING HISTORYFebruary 2020 Condé Nast Traveller 89 JEWELLERY From top left: High Jewellery brooch-pendant in white gold, onyx, emeralds and diamonds, Cartier; Dimitri cuff in yellow gold and diamonds, Chanel Fine Jewellery; Chapman’s Zebra bracelet in white gold, diamonds and mother-of-pearl, De Beers; High Jewellery ring in platinum, green cat’s-eye tourmaline, black lacquer and diamonds, Cartier; Serpenti necklace in pink gold with mother-of-pearl, malachite and diamonds, Bulgari; High Jewellery brooch in white gold, onyx and diamonds, Cartier; Ring in white gold, onyx, 5.91 carat tsavorite garnet and diamonds, Louis Vuitton; Ring in white gold, onyx, 1.96 carat tsavorite garnet and diamonds, Louis Vuitton. 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