VIVA ITALIA!

BY LAURIE BROOKINS

As the Venice Film Festival gets underway, South Coast Plaza is celebrating the art of Italian craft with this curated selection of fashion and accessories from iconic labels.

August 30, 2023

Florence Pugh in Valentino at Venice Film Festival. Credit: Getty Images

The 80^th edition of Biennale Cinema, also known as the Venice International Film Festival, kicks off on Wednesday, August 30, and for 10 days, the eyes of the film industry and movie fans alike will be focused on the Lido di Venezia, the glamorous home of the event since 1937.

Amid splashy premieres like Ferrari, directed by Michael Mann and starring Adam Driver, as well as Sofia Coppola’s Priscilla, about the life of Priscilla Presley, and Ava DuVernay’s Origin, high style is sure to enjoy a high-wattage spotlight. And don’t be surprised if many attendees lean into the captivating locale by embracing iconic Italian labels like Valentino, Prada, Gucci and Bvlgari, all of which have enjoyed prominent placements on past Venice Film Festival red carpets.

Celebrating the beauty of Italian handcraft seems only natural with this particular event, a glittering festival that infuses every moment with la dolce vita spirit. After all, with a film like Ferrari showcasing the journey to design exquisite — and ultra-fast — Italian cars, A-list stars wearing beautifully cut suits by Brunello Cucinelli or Dolce&Gabbana are a much-anticipated side benefit. With that in mind, we’ve curated a selection of iconic Italian labels, each offering its own boutique at South Coast Plaza, to highlight the latest in fashion and accessories, and always with craft and heritage in mind. La dolce vita, indeed.

Prada

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SOUTH COAST PLAZA

THE ITALIAN BRANDS FEATURE

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Small Andiamo Bag

BOTTEGA VENETA

Andiamo is Italian for “Let’s go,” which makes it a perfect name for this Bottega Veneta tote, a top-handle style that indeed looks like it could go anywhere effortlessly. The Andiamo bag is crafted in nappa leather that employs the house’s iconic intrecciato weave, which was introduced by Bottega Veneta in the late 1960s, so perhaps it’s no accident that Jacqueline Onassis and Andy Warhol became passionate fans of the brand in the 1970s. The intrecciato weave isn’t only a textural signature of the brand; by weaving the strips of leather together tightly, the house’s artisans are also creating a bag that’s highly durable. A brass-finished knot adorns the bag’s front.

Level 2, Between Jewel and Carousel Courts
714.540.9760

Buffed Calfskin Penny Loafers

BRUNELLO CUCINELLI

Located almost midway between Florence and Rome, Solomeo is a picturesque hill town in Italy’s Perugia region and the site where Brunello Cucinelli’s artisans handcraft a vast array of its collections, including these sleek men’s penny loafers. Crafted of burnished calfskin that’s buffed to create light and dark effects, these transitional loafers include a rubber outsole and work with jeans or suiting.

Level 2, Between Jewel and Carousel Courts
714.957.6930

Special-Edition Capri Bangle

BUCCELLATI

The famed Italian jewelry house dove into its archives to create a limited-edition collection of bangles inspired by the island of Capri. Inspired by designs from the 1930s and 1970s, each of the six one-of-a-kind bangles is a stunning blend of handcrafted enamelwork, stone-setting and Buccellati’s legendary goldsmithing.

Level 2, Nordstrom Wing
714.481.1130

Octo Roma Naturalia Skeleton Watch

BVLGARI

The latest in Bvlgari’s Octo Roma collection is this Naturalia watch, which combines the beauty of skeleton styling and tiger’s eye with the addition of a flying tourbillon at the 6 o’clock position, all in the 44-millimeter octagonal case crafted of 18-karat rose gold. The manual-winding timepiece features a 64-hour power reserve and is placed on a bracelet of chocolate-hued alligator.

Level 1, Nordstrom Wing
714.751.7833

Single-Breasted Stretch Fustian Jacket

DOLCE&GABBANA

A subtly nipped-in waist is a signature of Italian tailoring, and for Fall 2023, Dolce&Gabbana is celebrating the beauty of that detail in a jacket that also honors the best of its archives. Part of the house’s “Re-Edition” collection, this single-breasted jacket offers both sleek, precise tailoring and a touch of stretch for easy wearability.

Level 2, Saks Fifth Ave Wing
714.668.9142

Baguette

FEND I

In 2022 Fendi celebrated the 25^th anniversary of the handbag that’s become a true icon of fashion, the Baguette. The newest style for Fall 2023 is a medium-sized Baguette crafted of natural canvas and embellished with the house’s signature double-F motif in multicolored embroidery. The bag is finished with off-white leather and double-F hardware in gold.

Level 1, Jewel Court
714.751.1111

Valigeria Savoy Small Cabin Trolley

GUCCI

Guccio Gucci earned his living as a luggage porter at London’s famed Savoy Hotel before deciding to return to his native Florence, where he would apprentice for a leather-goods manufacturer before opening his own firm in 1921. Knowing that detail adds a layer of undeniable enjoyment to owning this Savoy Small Cabin Trolley from Gucci’s Valigeria collection. Crafted in a beige and blue double-G Supreme canvas with blue leather trim and the house’s iconic striped webbing, this four-wheel carry-on features an exterior zipped pocket and two interior compartments, one zipped and another with elastic straps.

Level 1, Bloomingdale’s Wing
714.557.9600

Brown Suede Bomber Jacket

MARNI

Sleek and chic, Marni’s men’s bomber-style zip jacket in caramel-hued suede features contrasting bands of nappa leather that run from the stand-up collar to the wrist, a detail that instantly evokes thoughts of Italian racing culture. Both the cuffs and hem are elasticized for comfort.

Level 2, Macy’s Home Store Wing
714.380.3155

Feminine Lace Dress

MAX MARA

This ultra-feminine sleeveless dress from Max Mara’s Studio collection is crafted of a foliage-inspired lace over a matching slip, with details that include a round collar, slim belt, fitted bodice and full skirt.

Level 1, Jewel Court
714.754.7900

Silk and Cotton Polo Shirt

PRADA

This slightly oversized men’s polo in silk and cotton by Prada features vintage styling that conjures thoughts of Rome in the 1960s, of riding Vespas and sitting with styled nonchalance at an outdoor café. A fine intarsia motif adorns the front of this three-button polo with ribbed-knit hem.

Level 2, Jewel Court
714.338.2200

Toile Iconographe Faille Midi Skirt

VALENTINO

It’s easy to envision Sophia Loren sauntering through a piazza in this full skirt crafted of silk faille, designed by Pierpaolo Piccioli and highlighting Valentino’s Toile Iconographe print. This unlined skirt is handcrafted in Italy and closes with a drawstring waist for easy wearability.

Level 2, Nordstrom Wing
714.751.3300

Crystal Chandelier Metallic Sandals

VERSACE

No designer in Italy creates sparkle quite like Donatella Versace; for Fall 2023, these square-toed stiletto sandals in silver metallic leather are richly embellished with clear faceted crystals that evoke thoughts of dazzling chandeliers. Accented with Versace’s signature Medusa charm, these sandals feature a 4.5-inch stiletto heel and back-zip closure.