To renew, to relaunch…it resonates ever so loudly today. The idea of starting again invites the notion of something better, the promise of new, the curiosity of all things out-of-the-ordinary.
As the world shut down, we found ourselves confined to quarters. Mother Earth certainly loved it as cities around the world began to breathe again. For us though the shelter-in-place order felt regimented, firm and rigid.
We adjusted and took it one day at a time. We cooked more, some of us even became bread makers and bakers of delicious delights. We found ourselves talking more, opening up. And, we used apps to communicate with the outside world. Dinner parties, cocktail hours, home schooling, even game nights went virtual. We made the most of it!
Throughout, the uneasiness of isolation lingered. We missed the physical connection, the face-to-face contact. In our sadness and stress, we at The Italian Collection sought comfort in the sage words of ancient philosophers and great thinkers.
Delphic maxims by Socrates like “Know Thyself” and “the unexamined life is not worth living” became guiding truths that served to press pause on staid, negative thinking steering us instead toward introspection. A different perspective, basked in light and hope, gave us the silver lining we needed to hold on to, while priorities changed, small things mattered more, joy and serenity embedded themselves in our psyche.
Cristina and Myriam, Rocky, Loredana and Lucilla, Valentina, Claudia and Simona, Daniele and Mario, the TIC team, we all took to our less cluttered time in positive ways. Our fortitude and open mindedness were our silver lining. They allowed for us to stay the course letting our hearts and intuition pave the way for creativity and imagination to flourish.
We particularly love the words of the Milanese singer-songwriter, Roberto Vecchioni, so heartfelt and inspiring. They capture the essence of the city that had seen the worst of the pandemic: “Milano is the strength of her people, she shall press ahead, she always does, it’s in her DNA…Work, art, commerce, ideas, all these things nourish her. She shall rebuild, she shall resume for it is in her nature to move the dial, to thrive and grow.”
It is within this spirit of enduring pride, tenacity, faith and a sense of irreversible forward momentum that The Italian Collection, linked to Milan’s artisanal roots and traditions, shall venture forth. We sense a new adventure, a new beginning, a new hope, a better future for all of us. For “today’s beauty is our strength…we’ve got this!”
We look forward to you accompanying us on our journey and in our pursuits to continue championing our makers of fine things Made in Italy.
Co-founders Cristina Ghisolfi and Myriam Altieri