ROMANA CORREALE
The young heir to Tuscan tradition

Modern and original design, elegantly combining traditional Tuscan craftsmanship with the lines and forms of contemporary art, together with the quality of all-round excellence – these are the distinctive brand features that have enabled Romana Correale to conquer an enthusiastic customer base all over the world. Striking out on her own just two years ago, Francesca Romana Correale took the big step with the global financial crisis in full spate.
She decided to face the crisis head-on, with clear-headed optimism, aware of representing the future of a tradition strongly rooted in the enchanting lands of Tuscany, ready to rise to the challenge of renewing that tradition with new strategies and a creative spirit.

“If we are all driven by short-term financial considerations to relocate production outside Italy, we’ll end up losing our distinctiveness and fall into decline. I realise it’s hard. Far East companies are very aggressive, coming up with offers as soon as they find an Italian fashion innovation. Although I’ve installed spam screens I get dozens of e-mails a day, some from companies in countries I’d never even heard of, offering to produce my models on very attractive terms, but I don’t fall for them. Not only because I come from a region with a long tradition and think that fashion is a driving force in our economy, but above all because I’m convinced that low costs and large volumes are no basis for meeting the challenges of globalisation. They can only be met by putting everything into the absolute quality of what we produce.”

Corso Vannucci is the name of the shop in Siena where I sell my bags.
That my bags can be found in this shop is not just a coincidence. We have a mutual relationship for years that’s founded on respect and a like minded philosophy and taste regarding fashion items.
We both share a love for “Made in italy” products and a concern for honesty and reliability of the products sold.

The shop Corso Vannucci sells amazing cashmere. The attitude and general behaviour towards the customers is giving and generous. When a client enters the shop it is an experience. It is not only about shopping but also about talking about the products, about trying on he garments and suggesting colours, trends and looks.

This shop has built an amazing and beautiful clientele over the years that follow the trends and looks set by the people in the shop.
Inda and Rosanna are not only there to sell but also to give suggestions and propose new products. I have been their client long before selling my bags in their shop.

If you are in Siena go take a look and you will see its one of the must welcoming and distinguished shops of the city.

Romana Correale honors Candis and encourages her to pursue her dreams with her beautiful voice with the same determination and joy she has shown fighting Leukemia.

Candis Sexton is a patient from the Texas Children’s Hospital in Houston Texas.  Candis was diagnosed with Leukemia early in her senior year of high school.  Anita Kruse, from Purple Songs Can Fly project, informed us that Candis had just recorded a song with the organization.  Purple Songs Can Fly is an organization that provides a musical outlet for children being treated for cancer and blood disorders.  The children’s songs are copied on purple CDs and flown by participating passengers, pilots and astronauts to place on earth and into space before flying back to Houston, where they are signed and then returned back to Houston for distribution. Sexton’s song is scheduled to be flown on the next shuttle flight.

To honor Candis, I invited Candis and her family to attend the Italian Style Expo May 23 in Houston Texas. Candis sang her recorded song “Follow your heart”.  Afterwards, I  presented her with a custom backpack to honor her accomplishments.  The backpack was delicately handmade in purple leather with a quilted heart pattern.  I was touched to be able to a part of such a wonderful event.

I wish the best to Candis in her life journey.  I also want to thank Anita Kruse at Purple Songs Can Fly for giving me the special opportunity to meet Candis.

The photo shoot in Siena was during two days. One in Villa di Geggiano at my friends Andrea. The Villa is amazing it has been in movie by Bertolucci with Liv Tyler “i dance alone”. It was the summer residence of Pope Piccolomini. It has amazing gardens and the interior is breathtaking. Like always Andrea was welcoming and friendly of a kindness that is rare now days.
Magnus Magnusson is an amazing talent in picking the right moment and light and catching the train that goes by in amazing photos. He is absolutely my favorite I love his work and and his talent was a great gift for this young brand. Joakim Flodman and all the others were mesmerized by the locations and gave their best for the photo shoot trying to’ interpret Italy, italian way of being and Tuscany.
The second day we were at Villa di Corsano which is incredibly different but at same time beautiful, aristocratic and the outdoor in that area is fantastic the rolling hills and swimming pool Made it fabulous. I thank Jocopo for being so friendly and giving to’ us and preparing such good food every night.

I am happy and proud of this photoshoot and video of Oscar Spendrup playing at Villa di Geggiano makes all the magic fly to the SKY.

Thanks to’ all that participated.

The audience reacted very positively to the bags. They applauded even before the catwalk had finished. Almoust for every model. I could hear the comments from backstage and I had tears of joy in my eyes.
The reason for this success is not only in my hands. The Romana Correale brand has combined unique and modern design inspired by art with traditional craftsmanship. Both of these elements work in symbiosis in perfect balance. This is how the beautiful bags that look like sculptures become alive!

Check out these two videos from the event.

The Hotel Granduca in Houston made me feel at home. It has all photos of beautiful places in Italy, books, maps, sculptures, the shields, the history. You can really breathe Tuscany here. I don’t think there would have been a better place were to make this event. The bags express the same philosophy of the Granduca: Excellency, Made in Italy, history and art.

]]> http://romanacorreale.com/blog/2010/04/the-granduca-hotel-in-houston/feed/ 1 http://romanacorreale.com/blog/2010/02/quilted-leather/ http://romanacorreale.com/blog/2010/02/quilted-leather/#comments Fri, 26 Feb 2010 15:44:41 +0000 admin http://romanacorreale.com/?p=505

I Love quilted leather.

The challenge here was to use not only the heart shape which i have in this collection but all the other new shapes that will come out. Just like Escher patterns with fishes, butterflies etc, any form is possible!

To do this I’ve used first class nappa which is only used by a few other luxury brands in the world still! Just because of how expensive it is. A journalist touching them Said “Oh my what Did you use, human skin? It is so soft!”

I have made small things that we all put in pur bags as part of the collection: wallets and mirrors.

Coming soon covers for computer laptops, key chains and small things in our everyday life.

The mirrors are skull, Iris and heart in shiny glossy leather. The wallets are in ostrich or in quilted pattern leather!
Wallet for men also coming soon!

Iris bauletto and Iris business bag were inspired by the love I have for my daughter Iris.

I wanted to make a bag in her name and I dedicated it to the beautiful flowers which I have always loved after seeing them in Van Goghs paintings in Amsterdam.

I myself have a garden with thirty different colors of this flower and every year I visit the Florence exhibition of the must beautifully grown Irises in the world.

Men are more and more intelligent and sophisticated in the choice of the objects they buy but still they are incredibly different from women. I believe these differences and our similarities are what makes men and women so incredibly interesting.

So the skull was a choice to remember the men throughout history. The warriors, the pirates and the soldiers. Those men that have used courage and love to fight through almoust anything in life.

The skull was difficult to make as its shape is so commonly used in fashion but little by little this became the perfect skull for me.
I used rope and skull too because of insipiration to ships, wars and conquering the world…

The bags for men are very rich in material. they both have “risvolti” of leather… and both are made in genuine unique ostrich and “nappa”.

A customer that buys these bags will surely feel that he can go on a bike, on a train, on a ship etc in everyday life with a strong, reliable and elegant bag.

A pleasant surprise is that many many girls have also ordered the skull bags!

There are two versions of skull bags; the one for computer laptop and the sports skull bag.