Stylist’s features editor Hannah Keegan discusses art, underwear and how to live la dolce vita in Europe’s most romantic country…
When it comes to romance and drama, nowhere does it better than Italy. Prior to last month, I’d visited just once in my life – an indulgent trip to the Amalfi Coast to celebrate a family member’s engagement – and I have memories of long lunches, limoncello cocktails and lazy afternoons perched under an umbrella on a Positano beach.
It was a dreamy, relaxed atmosphere, but one ultimately marked by a sense of being away from ‘real life’, and so when the opportunity arose to visit Verona and Venice with a famed Italian brand, Intimissimi, the idea of seeing the country through the eyes of locals sounded ideal.
It’s thought that the first modern bra was invented in France in 1889 (making its debut appearance in a corset catalogue) – but while the French may have been innovators, it’s the Italians that really infused it with a sense of glamour.
Verona, the setting of Shakespeare’s most romantic play Romeo And Juliet and where Intimissimi’s headquarters are based, is steeped in history, glamour and storytelling.
This comes across inside Intimissimi HQ, where each prototype for every one of their intricate bras is designed and created in-house and where moodboards full of lace patterns and colour swatches sprawl across tables in the design room.
Italians famously take good craftsmanship incredibly seriously – one bra can be comprised of up to 30 separate pieces and take over nine months to develop.
Among many of the brand’s newer pieces, there is also a heavy focus on lingerie as outerwear, too – items beautiful and robust enough to be quite literally worn as a top (think a lacy bodysuit or bralette worn under a blazer).
When it comes to style, feminine touches are a through-line – in their ‘pretty flowers’ collection lacy petals creep around the straps and cups, while their silk baby doll slips are floating and delicate.
In Italy, life imitates art…
Art, of course, plays a huge role in Italian culture – there are plenty of galleries to explore in Verona itself, from the Castelvecchio Museum (Verona’s main museum, housed inside a 14th century castle) to the Modern Art Gallery, which exhibits more than 150 masterpieces.
But the real treat of the trip was in Venice, where I visited the Breasts exhibition at Palazzo Cavalli-Franchetti (which is fittingly sponsored by Intimissimi).
Showcasing the works of mostly female artists – big names such as Louise Bourgeois, Chloe Wise, Anna Weyant and Cindy Sherman feature – it reflects on a range of themes from motherhood, empowerment and sexuality to body image and illness.
In the pink-hued rooms of the gallery space, the exhibition asks you to explore how breasts are seen, both culturally and personally by each artist included.
“The breast, functioning as a cultural signifier, occupies a space of profound personal and political significance,” writes the curator Carolina Pasti, a point which becomes more and more evident as you journey through the space, finishing on a video piece which depicts childbirth.
It turns out, three days in Italy can pack a punch – there is so much to see and experience about Italian life and culture.
One evening, we visited the opera at the Arena di Verona – a magnificent Roman amphitheatre in Piazza Bra where you’re seated in the open air (and in the very same space that was used to host music and celebrations during the time of the Roman Empire).
We saw Aida 1913, a three-hour long production created by Italian director Gianfranco Bosio, which was part of the 101st Arena di Verona Opera Festival, which happens annually in Verona, and is simply awe-inspiring.
Food and drink were also a huge part of my time there – particularly wine. We visited the Signorvino vineyard in Valpolicella, where we learned about the fermentation process and tasted a range of wines produced at the vineyard.
While in Venice, soaking up the history of the place is a must (its population has dropped below 50,000 for the first time in over 300 years, and learning how to be an ethical tourist while you’re there is necessary).
Try a gorgeous gondola trip to get around as opposed to a speed boat (as this is better for the environment), and take in everything the brilliant Biennale has to offer if you’re visiting at this time of year.
A magical place, it’s no wonder that so much of Italy – particularly lingerie – is infused with romance, it’s literally everywhere. La dolce vita, indeed.