slow living

The Real Slow Living

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Reading Time: 3 minutes

Where can we experience it?


The concept of slow living has become quite popular lately. There’s an inspiring book on the subject: In praise of slow, by Carl Honoré. Though pushed aside from contemporary society, there was a time when it was part of Italian culture.

Indeed, our holiday in Basilicata (Southern Italy) reminded us of the values connected to slowness. Moving at a slower pace. Connected to nature and in sync with its timing. Savouring a quiet environment. Having a mindful approach to life, nature and things we need. We enjoyed it and found it beneficial for the mind and the soul.

Slow living in Basilicata


Do you really want to understand slow living? Then, go to Basilicata, and you will find out how it is integrated into their daily lives. People do not hurry. Running errands is not hectic. For instance, they wait for their turn at the baker. Even if there is a queue, nobody complains. No honking if someone stops the car in the middle of the road to ask for information. And if anyone honks, it is just to say hello! Because there, they salute everyone. Also, they sit ‘al fresco’ to enjoy some fresh air late afternoon or evening.

With production plants based in northern areas, people had to move to those places to find a job, leaving the south to abandonment. And it’s been easy in big towns to get sucked by what was supposed to be the right thing to do, becoming cogs of a relentless money-driven society that wants us to be productive day and night.

Slow: the South way


However, a comment made us reflect. During our holiday we met a woman coming from Northern Britain. We asked why she had chosen Marina di Pisticci for her holiday and if she had relatives there or what. And she said: “I was looking for a place that had no influence from the northern side. So we came here, to find the real Italy. It’s a quiet place and we fell in love with it.”

So, the more you go south, the more you can experience slow living. No influence from the north is the case for Basilicata. Indeed, the region tends to be disconnected from the rest of Italy. Viability from town to town is not well developed. A sense of isolation prevails, which makes it fascinating.

Slow living & big towns


Indeed, this woman truly offered a good insight. Northern areas are not the place for a slow lifestyle. Whatever your vision is, Milano, Paris, or London aren’t the place for slowness. So, for people like us living in big towns, it’s about reconsidering our values, priorities and lifestyle.

To make changes in your life, start getting rid of the sense of urgency typical of big towns. Remind yourself there is nothing to chase after. Take deep breaths, appreciate slowness and savour every moment.

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The Slow Mode

Reading Time: 2 minutes

Welcoming the Spring/Summer 22 season


A choice of value
We take it slow, slow mode, moving at our own pace, with no rush to dive into the new Spring/ Summer season. Happy to finally touch with our hands what we ordered months ago digitally or in physical showrooms. Thrilled to show you the mix we’ve put together for you–which we hope you will enjoy. But we do not hurry; that sense of urgency is no longer part of the evolved dimension we’ve embraced.

A conscious approach is rooted in thoughtful actions, not in rushing. And this is a time in which pondering our actions–please, translate it also into thinking carefully about what we purchase–is at the base of everything.

Slow fashion: taking the time it deserves


Quality takes time
Bringing back the value of waiting is fundamental in order to regain standards of quality, and give a proper perspective. Fast is cheap, but there’s no quality nor value in that, just exploitation of human and natural resources. So we want to go back to the ‘tempo giusto.’ The proper time, what quality needs.

the slow mode - welcoming Spring/ Summer 22 season


The global industry is still ingrained in the status quo, not willing to change because by offering cheap products, they are sure they’ll sell them regardless of the side effects. Well, we don’t want to be part of that system.

During days of total uncertainty caused by the pandemic, we’ve been searching for consistency, good design, and quality. This is what we thought it made sense to offer.

Our fashion? The slow mode. We embrace slow fashion by adapting it to our evolving needs. If brands run fast, we do not. We bring in our visions and values instead. And we believe that suggesting you buy less, much less but better quality pieces is an effective way to reduce our impact on the planet.

So we don’t go where the wind goes, we go where value resides.

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Quality and Attention

Reading Time: 2 minutes

The tie is closer than you think


Quality demands attention. Have you ever paused to consider that?

Quality is the set of all the attributes that identify a product – or even a person.

Attention comes from Latin, attentio-onis. Which means: turn your soul towards something. In other words, looking at, listening to, thinking about something with deep interest, with care. With your soul.
The depth of this etymological meaning doesn’t seem suitable for the time we live in, not for the masses who continue to overconsume. In fact, what’s popular now doesn’t require any attention. And no attention or low level of it means no understanding of quality. As a matter of fact, this represents the ground where the ‘shop & toss’ culture thrives.

Attention is an intentional choice


You can’t stop at a quick glance because you know that rapid, superficial evaluation is not enough to notice all the details. Forget trying to perceive the quality of something by scrolling your social media. Unless you are well trained, of course. Or, you possess an elevated dose of good taste as a natural talent – which is not that frequent.

Quality and attention are two fundamental values. One implies the other, and vice versa. Without attention, you cannot understand quality.

It takes time to develop your attention


But it’s worth doing it to appreciate what surrounds us. So train yourself to pause for a few minutes of silence every day. Observe more, listen, allow yourself to focus on details and think.

Marketing is full of smoke and mirrors. Don’t stop at a logo placed on the outer surface to catch your eye and trick you. Or prices that wouldn’t justify a sustainable production chain. Instead, train the eye to go deeper than that. So you will deepen the value of choosing with intention.

If attention is an intentional choice, a slower pace will help you savour more. Not only your purchases but your life.

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