Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
white starbursts (€8 to €12), stackable glass-band rings (three for €8) and Tinti's glass fish
magnets (€4 to €8).
TOP FOUR VENETIAN FASHIONS, THEN & NOW
Platform shoes
Then
: Worn by women working the shady end of Ponte delle Tette (
Click here
), often hovering
around 30cm high.
Now
: Lady Gaga's stagewear can't compare to the original 18th-century
zampe
(elephant's
foot) platforms in the Palazzo Mocenigo (
Click here
) collection. For more footwear that's stylish yet sensible for
crossing footbridges, try on handmade
furlane
at Pied à Terre (
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) or have brogues custom-made at
Gmeiner (
Click here
).
Jewels
Then
: Sumptuary laws attempted to limit conspicuous displays of diamonds and pearls on Venetian so-
cialites, to no avail.
Now
: Statement necklaces have gone creative, in marble-paper at Cárte (
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) and
Murano glass at La Pedrera (
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).
Eyeglasses
Then
: A jaw-dropping, monocle-popping invention, the first modern eyeglasses were worn in Venice
around 1300.
Now
: Eco-friendly resin glasses are still hand-finished at Ottica Vascellari (
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), and vin-
tage '60s sunglasses regularly surface at Il Baule Blu (
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).
Outerwear
Then
: Sumptuous
piviale
(capes) were worn as rain ponchos in Venice, though velvet brocade wasn't
exactly water-repellent.
Now
: Brocade
piviale
are still worn by priests during mass, but Anatema (
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)
mohair tube-scarves and Hibiscus (
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) ombre shawls offer hipper ways to keep damp chills off Venetian
necks.
