STELLADAMBRA
Meeting with Alessandra – founder of Stelladambra Collection: Italian style at your doorstep
I first met Alessandra at the Défilé d’Eté – a summer fashion event that took place in June at La Maison de la Femme in Vandœuvres – and it’s been love at first sight. She is the expression of this “je ne sais quoi” attitude that you can only find in Italy: she is made of Italian vibes, this perfect mix of beauty and tradition, sunny smiles yet spiritual mind. I later realized that our feelings were quite reciprocal…
While talking to Alessandra, her bright personality and distinctive Italian look made me quickly escape to find myself enjoying an aperitivo on a trendy place in Milan or in a beautiful piazza in Tuscany. That evening she was wearing her favourite accessory: a stylish hand embroidered and personalized straw hat, which gave her this twist of gypset signature. The tone was set.
The Hat Gang Milano – Hats available in Switzerland at stelladambra.com and Bon Génie Genève, Lausanne, Zurich & Basel.
“Gypset” is an hybrid term – coined by Julia Chaplin – that comes from the amalgamation of Gypsy and Jetset. It incorporates the nomadic free spirit of the former with the latter’s bon vivant existence. It captures the notion of wandering the globe whilst maintaining a glamourous international edge. The clothes are exotic and carefree but distinctly fashionable, wild yet sophisticated.
I think that Alessandra is deeply inspired by this spirit. She loves traveling, playing golf and dancing barefoot in the garden. At the same time, she is a sophisticated woman who has started her career as financial journalist at Bloomberg News in London.
She spent the past twenty years abroad from Italy, between London and now Geneva, but the unconditional love for her home country brought her recently to develop an interesting project that aims to promote the Italian style in Switzerland.
It all started during her summer holidays last year, whilst she was reading Vogue Italy and she noticed a fancy HAT made by a new and still quite unknown brand. She was immediately seduced by its bohemian style, its vibrant and original design and the whole concept of wearing a personalized, made in Italy, unique item. Only a few days later, she was in a beautiful beach in Sardinia’s Porto Rotondo when she bumped into a stunning lady wearing exactly the same HAT. What a sign of destiny! Alessandra strongly believes in fate and as I do, in signs, people and most of all, in her stars…
She then decided to contact Carlotta – the founder and designer of The Hat Gang Milano – and shortly after they met in an apres-ski bar in Courmayeur, one of Europe’s great Alpine resorts, nestled at the foot of Mont Blanc, half way from Milan and Geneva. Being so passionated for Italian fashion and lifestyle, it was obvious for Alessandra that she had to work with the young talented designer to help her marketing her emerging brand in Switzerland. They both possess the ability to look ahead and project their ideas in an ever-changing landscape. Call it perception, talent or just passion for Italian core values.
Alessandra has founded Stelladambra Collection in 2021 to promote Italy’s quality, creativity and excellence in Fashion and Food. This exclusive new online concept store represents the Italian art of craftmanship through a selection of rare items and limited productions. You can fall in love with the summer collection from The Hat Gang: not only hats but jeans and denim jackets with a trendy and gipsy feeling, featuring hand embroidery, designed and produced in a small milanese atelier. Stelladambra was inspired by the fusion of Alessandra’s daughters names: Stella (which means Star in Italian) and Ambra (which translates into Amber, the gemstone).
You can also find design objects like Murano glasses and carafes from Venice. And Italian artisanal pastry for an authentic food experience.
To launch her project, this year Alessandra has organised a couple of happenings and pop-up sales in the Vandoeuvres and Cologny area of Geneva. Among them, Stelladambra Collection has been the successful sponsor of a Ladies competition at the Golf Club de Genève in May, offering an exclusive limited edition of golf hats.
She is planning to participate to Geneva’s Christmas Markets this coming winter.
So stay tuned on the next coming events on Instagram at stelladambra_collection. The Italian style is available at your doorstep through the website www.stelladambra.com
And for now, start to think about an alternative way of living, traveling and loving. Explore spirituality. Enjoy the Italian timeless oh-so-chic style.
Réjane xx
