Have you ever been in a situation where a woman walks in and you can’t take your eyes off of her? That’s what happened to me when I saw Cristina for the first time at the Caffè Concerto. She was wearing this STUNNING leopard coat and had such an elegant presence that I actually did a double take.
The Reason She Dressed
You may recall the Caffè Concerto from this post, it is a beautiful caffè in the main Piazza in Modena. They also serve a fantastic buffet lunch with all kinds of local dishes. It has become one of our favorite places to go for lunch because they have something for everyone, the price/quality ratio is very good, they are open on Sundays and they have all kinds of perks like high chairs, change tables & live jazz!
Like us, Cristina was there having lunch with her family. And…… wouldn’t you know it she is ALSO the mom of a RED HEAD!!! An adorable, feisty red head, just like mine who (surprise, surprise) loves watching Peppa Pig!
What She Wore
Cristina was so lovely and gracious. Not only did she let me take her picture (and not treat me like a creepy stalker), but she invited me to her table to show me the details of her GORGEOUS coat.
Erika Cavallini Semi Couture
It is by Italian designer Erika Cavallini who in 2009 launched the brand Erika Cavallini Semi-Couture a rigourously Made in Italy luxury brand that focus on exceptional fabrics and a vintage vibe.
From afar I thought this coat was a printed pattern, however, when I got closer, I noticed the whole thing is a woven jackquared fabric. An intricate embroidery of soft gold makes up the leopard motif, giving this coat incredible depth and of course SPARKLE!
I love the cropped sleeves, shape, cut and broach (which came with the coat)! Not to mention it looks fantastic on Cristina! I found her coat online here !
In the same fabric you can also find a dress, short cape and skirt all from this store.
Louis Vuitton
Cristina paired her glamourous coat with a classic Louis Vuitton tote bag. Now, I have to admit I’ve never stepped foot in an LV store, I just don’t have the money! HOWEVER, a few years ago in Paris there was an incredible Louis Vuitton Retrospective Exhibit in the Le Marais area called “Voyage en Capitale”.
My husband and I were working in the area at the time of the exhibit, (we work together for his family’s exotic leather accessory brand) so we headed in to explore the history behind this luxury mega giant.
The exhibit was incredible, and told the Louis Vuitton story, both from a personal perspective rooted in the opulence of Paris and from a business perspective as the most important fashion house on the planet, which now extends to every single luxury market.
At the time I was going through a “I would never buy LV” phase, however, after this exhibit I became a fan! I realized that my impression of the brand is based on one model of bag and the price tag, but that they are so much more than that. They ARE luxury in every sense. I was looking at the handmade travel cases and luggage, the alligator leather covered buttons, the individually hammered nails around the chests and the exquisitely created small leather goods and I fell in love!
Now, just because I’ve learned to appreciate LV doesn’t actually change the fact that I still can’t afford anything from the brand. HOWEVER, I did manage to score a great little shoulder strap bag for around 30 euros last summer. I bought it from a vintage and antiques market while we were vacationing at the Transimeno Lake area in Italy.
I’ve posted a few looks with it here and here (I wear it all the time). I have no idea if it’s an original, but it goes with everything!
Why Vintage Takes the Cake
Once we were at a vintage market with some friends of the family and one of the people in out group was saw one of those “stamped” alligator bags, used for 80 euros. The seller haggled on the price but eventually settled for 60 euro since it was “real leather”.
Afterwards my father-in-law, who is quite possibly the number one alligator belt artisan on the PLANET, looked at the bag and said “that is an original De Vecchi in real crocodile in perfect condition, worth almost 800 euros”.
So I am well aware that sometimes the vintage sellers have NO IDEA if what they are selling is real or fake, and that there may actually be a good chance that my little purse is real! I don’t actually care one way or the other but if you really want to real McCoy but don’t have thousands to spend there are alternatives.
You can find guaranteed vintage designer bags including all of the classic Louis Vuitton bags, like this “Speedy 25″ Monogrammed bag that available for $550 here. Personally I prefer my 35 euro find, but hey to each his own!
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