L'Italo-Americano

THURSDAY, MAY 15, 2025 www.italoamericano.org 16 L'Italo-Americano V iBi Venezia is a m o d e r n footwear brand with some seri- o u s h i s t o r i c a l cred, at least when it comes to the shoe style it produces. Founded in 2015 by Venetian s i s t e r s V i o l a a n d V e r a Arrivabene Valenti Gon- zaga, the brand has carved out a niche in the world of c o n t e m p o r a r y f a s h i o n b y reimagining a classic, hum- ble shoe: the furlane. Also k n o w n a s f r i u l a n e , t h i s type of shoes was originally made in the Friuli region of northeastern Italy, but they have since become a symbol of quiet elegance and sus- tainable craftsmanship, as well as a trend embraced by the fashion world, all thanks to Vibi Venezia. The story of the furlana goes back at least to the 19th century, when women in the countryside created them from scraps of fabric and old b i c y c l e t i r e s , w h i c h w e r e s t i t c h e d t o g e t h e r w i t h resourcefulness and care, producing a soft, slipper-like shoe. The recycled rubber soles made them both eco- conscious and practical – and ideal for everyday use. E v e n t u a l l y , t h e h u m b l e f u r l a n a m a d e i t s w a y t o V e n i c e , w h e r e g o n d o l i e r s a p p r e c i a t e d i t s s o l e s t h a t wouldn't damage the var- nished wood of their boats. T h i s u t i l i t a r i a n f o o t w e a r gradually evolved into a sta- ple of Venetian daily life. For the Arrivabene sisters, who were raised in a palazzo o v e r l o o k i n g t h e G r a n d Canal, furlane were part of their everyday attire: their mother, Countess Bianca di Savoia Aosta, had always encouraged appreciation for local traditions and crafts- manship. The sisters, even- tually, decided to turn their childhood footwear into a business when they realized t h a t t h e w o r l d b e y o n d Venice had little access to t h e s e e l e g a n t y e t s i m p l e shoes. Thus, ViBi Venezia was born with a mission: to create shoes that relate to tradition but are suited for contemporary wardrobes. From the beginning, the brand has placed a strong emphasis on quality and h e r i t a g e : E a c h p a i r o f shoes is handmade in Italy, primarily in a family-run workshop near Udine, using f i n e t e x t i l e s l i k e v e l v e t , linen, and cotton. The char- acteristic rubber sole is still present, a nod to the shoe's origins, but the designs are refined, fashionable, and made to last. ViBi's furlane a r e p r o d u c e d i n l i m i t e d b a t c h e s t o e n s u r e c r a f t s - manship and reduce waste, and the brand often collabo- r a t e s w i t h a r t i s t s a n d designers to release special collections. ViBi Venezia's reinterpre- t a t i o n o f t h e f u r l a n a h a s also drawn attention from major fashion publications and international retailers: heir shoes have appeared in the pages of Vogue, Elle, and Harper's Bazaar, and can be purchased from top e-com- m e r c e p l a t f o r m s s u c h a s Net-a-Porter, MatchesFash- ion, and Moda Operandi. T h e y a r e a l s o s t o c k e d i n boutiques across Europe and the United States, including w e l l - k n o w n d e p a r t m e n t stores like Bergdorf Good- man and Le Bon Marché. In addition, the brand's official website ships international- ly, so if you fancy a cool pair of ViBi furlane you can easi- ly get them shipped to your doorstep. The brand has also bene- fited from organic celebrity support: among those spot- t e d w e a r i n g V i B i V e n e z i a s h o e s a r e K a t e M o s s , Katie Holmes, and Sofia Coppola, likely attracted to the brand by its perfect bal- ance between lowkey luxury and comfort. But, perhaps, what makes ViBi Venezia stand out more is not simply the elegance of their product, but the philos- o p h y b e h i n d i t , w h i c h i s m o r e a b o u t c u l t i v a t i n g a lifestyle rather than chasing after short –living seasonal trends. A sign of it lies in their furlane's versatility, as they can be worn indoors or o u t , d r e s s e d u p o r d o w n ; t h e y f i t a s n a t u r a l l y a t a countryside lunch as they do in a city gallery. And while they may carry the cachet of luxury, they retain a sense of informality and ease. B y t a k i n g a t r a d i t i o n a l Venetian slipper and giving i t n e w l i f e , V i B i V e n e z i a brought back a symbol of Venetian life, but also creat- ed a story of revival – of arti- s a n s h i p , o f p l a c e , a n d o f s l o w , t h o u g h t f u l d e s i g n . T h r o u g h t h e i r s h o e s , t h e legacy of the furlana steps confidently into the modern world. T he domed stone o v e n – f o r n o a cupola in Italian – i s o n e o f t h o s e features that peo- ple who love cooking often dream of: it's beautiful to look at, and it makes food taste better. Lighting it takes time and some patience, but once it's hot, it holds the heat for hours and creates that perfect e n v i r o n m e n t f o r m a k i n g bread or pizza the old-fash- i o n e d w a y . T h e r e ' s a l s o a sense of ritual to it: feeding the fire, waiting for the tem- perature to build... it all adds to the experience. As it's easy to guess, the domed oven has ancient roots and it was the Romans who really perfected its design, turning it into a standard fea- ture of homes, villas, bakeries, and even military outposts across the empire. Earlier ovens existed in places like Egypt and Mesopotamia, b u t t h e R o m a n v e r s i o n brought efficiency and consis- tency: the dome shape was key, because it allowed heat to move evenly inside, creat- ing stable cooking conditions. I n s i d e , t h e f i r e w a s b u i l t directly on the cooking floor, and once it reached the right temperature, the coals were m o v e d a s i d e a n d t h e f o o d placed inside. The structure of a Roman furnus featured a low, round- ed dome built over a flat bak- ing surface, a design facilitat- ed optimal heat circulation within the chamber. A fire w o u l d b e i g n i t e d d i r e c t l y i n s i d e t h e o v e n ; o n c e t h e d e s i r e d t e m p e r a t u r e w a s achieved, the embers were removed, and food was placed o n t h e h o t f l o o r t o c o o k . Archaeological sites like Pom- peii and Herculaneum have r e v e a l e d w e l l - p r e s e r v e d e x a m p l e s o f o v e n s , w h i c h showed their significance in daily Roman life. In contemporary times, the p r i n c i p l e s o f t h e R o m a n domed oven continue to influ- ence modern oven construc- tion. Artisanal bakers and home cooks alike appreciate t h e b e n e f i t s o f t h i s s a v v y design, which offers superior heat retention and cooking performance. Our modern forno a cupola still owes a lot to the ancient models we can still admire in Pompeii: just more evidence of how big an i m p a c t R o m a n i n g e n u i t y made on engineering and on our daily lives. A modern stone oven (Photo: Izelle Schoombee-van Der Merwe/Dreamstime) The domed oven: the Roman invention that still rules the kitchen ViBi Venezia: the elegant evolution of a Venetian classic IMPRESA ITALIA MADE IN ITALY TOP BRANDS BUSINESS & ECONOMY A pair of furlane, similar to those made by ViBi Venezia (Image created with DALL-E 2)

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