Live like a local

Explore Rome with Italian fashion designer Ginevra Odescalchi

September 23, 2019

Creator of fashion brand Mad.e. and a member of one of the most esteemed families in Rome, Ginevra Odescalchi shares some of her favourite fashion haunts and inspiring places to visit in the city.

Mad.e. in Rome

I’ve always had a great appreciation for fashion and was inspired to start my own fashion brand when I couldn’t find the style of clothes I was looking for. Now I regularly create bespoke designs for my clients, including quite a few famous faces, from my showroom in Vicolo del Piombo, near Piazza Venezia. I describe my style as refined but something that will definitely get you noticed. My reputation has spread by word of mouth and now I’d like to take this opportunity to share, in the same way, some of my own favourite places to shop in Rome.

Vicolo del Piombo, 17 b

Image © Andrea Mete

The Italian fashion designer Ginevra Odescalchi looking at herself in a mirror

Monti

Monti is an exciting district tucked between Via Nazionale and Via Cavour. It’s made up of a bundle of steeply cobbled roads, lined with fashionable bars, bohemian restaurants, alternative shops and artisan workshops. By day, it’s a shopping hub for rare and one-of-a-kind clothing and accessories, including an unmissable weekend market full of independent labels. By night, it’s the place for idle strolling and soaking up the vibrant atmosphere of its many bars and restaurants.

Candle Store

While you’re in Monti, be sure to visit the delightful art workshop Candle Store. It’s a wonderful chance to see truly timeless design, created by hand using ancient techniques that have change little over the years. Their craftsmanship is expressed in their high quality pigments, fragrant essential oils and creative carving. These candles are an easy way to instantly enhance the atmosphere of any room. The store also hosts workshops if you’re interested in learning the art of candle making.

Via Urbana, 21

Image © Candle Store /Marco Lausi

Umberto Mantineo

Umberto Mantineo, a Roman himself, belongs to a new generation of talented locals with eclectic tastes that are reshaping the creative landscape of the city. Originally a photographer, he has now made a name for himself as a successful architect and designer. At his design studio on the left bank of the Tiber, he mixes vintage pieces by esteemed designers, such as Gio Ponti, with his own spectacular limited-edition creations.

Via dei Banchi Vecchi, 103

Image © Umberto Mantineo

Villa Medici

I always enjoy visiting Villa Medici, for both the incredible art and the amazing views out over Rome from its glorious location on Pincian Hill. This beautiful renaissance villa is an architectural masterpiece in itself and its Italian-style gardens are amongst the most beautiful in Rome. Walking its elegant paths and corridors is like being transported back in time, to when it hosted many great artists such as Ingres and Balthus. It’s is a truly amazing place.

Viale della Trinità dei Monti, 1

Pierlorenzo Bassetti Tessuti

Anyone with a love of fine fabrics will adore Pierlorenzo Bassetti Tessuti almost as much as I do. Located in Via del Gesù in the Largo Argentina area, this historical shop specialises in a diverse range of beautiful fabrics. The creative atmosphere is palpable from the moment you open the door, thanks to owners Pierlorenzo Bassetti and Marco Gambedotti who are a joy to know. It’s somewhere I often drop by, not only for their fabrics but their exceptional expertise and endless inspiration.

Via del Gesù, 60

Merceria Alfis

Last but not least in my round up of favourite places is Merceria Alfis, a wonderfully old-fashioned haberdashery in Rome’s Jewish Ghetto. It’s tucked away on the little back street of Largo Ginnasi but it’s well-worth tracking down. When I first discovered this little gem I knew I would become a regular. It’s is filled with carefully crafted buttons, exquisite lace and colourful fabrics that fill my heart with wonder. It’s here that I feel I can turn my fashion ideas into reality.

Largo Ginnasi,6

I hope you enjoy exploring some of my favourite places next time you visit Rome and Hotel Eden.

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