Liberatti Scarf Rings and Accessories: April 2017

Vivre Côté Sud - Your June Rendevous?

If you have’t finalized your summer holiday plans and share our passion for French style, design, wine and joire de vivre, then the beautiful annual Vivre Côté Sud Fair is definitely to consider.It’s held annually in the charming city of Aix en Provence. I have enjoyed two summer visits and plan to go again in 2018. This year Vivre Côté Sud is on 2nd – 5th of June 2017

Vivre Côté Sud is a jewel in the crown of elegant Aix en Provence. A three day market feast of colour and creativity, fabrics and furniture, baskets and baguettes, wine and wrought iron, vintage and retro collectibles, plants and patio pots….. it is simply stunning, full of happy smiling people and joire de vivre. Aix is the perfect host city for Cote Sud.

Aix is an elegant and compact city. In the centre, or centre ville, its wide street, leafy boulevards and public squares are lined with 17th- and 18th-century mansions, punctuated by gurgling moss-covered fountains.Grand stone lions guard its avenue, and it’s delicious to linger over your coffee and croissant at the cafe-laced cours Mirabeau.

Cours Mirabeau is the people watching mecca and is also where the antique and brocante markets take place. The part pedestrianised centre of Aix old town is ringed by busy boulevards, with several large car parks dotted on the edge of town.

Not far from the centre is parc Jourdan where the thee day fair takes place. It takes just a 10-15 minute stroll to get there.

Vivre Côté Sud is also the perfect opportunity to meander along under the lime-trees of the parc Jourdan, which will be dressed up for the occasion. Decoration, craftsmanship, gardening, savours, walks and life-style from the Provence, Italy, Spain and elsewhere.

Time for lunch and to revisit the map. Make sure you arrive for lunch early as all the tables are taken :0…

Next stop…homewares and fabrics….

So many beautiful hand made pieces… details, colours and patterns ….

Less people than you’d think attend, enough to be interesting, not enough to feel stifled, and all relaxed and enjoying the ambience, both sellers and buyers ….

Creativity abounds in Aix and here are three fabulous Museums to Visit after you have exhausted the Cote Sud experience.

Musée Granet

I literally stumbled upon this elegant 17th century building in 2015. Upon entering the narrow reception, you move through into a voluminous space, which at that time was filled with huge Picasso canvasses and exquisite works from Matisse.
The Musée is renown and hosts world class exhibitions. The collection houses over 600 exquisite paintings and sculptures, ranging in era and style from Renaissance to contemporary pieces.

The museum is a 5 minute walk from the city square, so an easy amble from the centre ville. Be on the lookout or reduced rates and guided tours offered three times a week.

Musée Granet, Petite Rue Saint-Jean Aix en Provence, FR, +33 4 42 52 88 32

Atelier de Cézanne

During the last years of his life, Aix en Provence native Paul Cézanne settled in a picturesque country cottage to produce art and live out the rest of his days. Now, decades later, his studio is open to the public.
Cézanne loved Aix and is a source of pride for the city. Visit Atelier de Cézanne, immerse in his environs and inspiration, and you are sure to walk away understanding the context of his work. Be sure to check out the Painter’s Park as well.

Atelier de Cézanne, 9 Avenue Paul Cézanne Aix en Provence, FR, +33 4 42 21 06 53

Fondation Vasarely

Visit Fondation Vasarely and discover a number art works that are actually optical illusions.
For a small fee, attend a weekend tour and learn all about the large pieces, some of which are displayed on the museum lawn.
Fondation Vasarely offers workshops for adults, as well as children, and also hosts a number of events, including concerts, conferences, cultural festivals and activities. It’s a feast for the imagination.

Fondation Vasarely, 1 Avenue Marcel Pagnol Aix en Provence, +33 4 42 20 01 09

She Sells Shell Scarf Rings

Liberatti Shell Scarf Rings

Mother of pearl is exquisite. Shell is an amazingly elegant and understated material, often overlooked in my opinion. I love the small flecks of iridescence and irregularities as that’s what makes it so interesting.

The patina and surface story is beautiful. Each shell is distinctive reflecting its location, environment and interaction with the elements, so naturally every one of our Scarf Rings reflects a unique lifetime story.

For those who appreciate biology, the shell species Hyriopsis Schlegeli comes from Vietnam. The shells are a sustainable source, harvested from the sea shores. Amazing that they can be transformed to adorn scarves all around the world. Our Scarf Rings are worn by women in France, South Korea, Germany, UK, USA, Saudi Arabia, Singapore…. these are just a few destinations our Scarf Rings fly to, those jet setters.

Hand making Scarf Rings

Liberatti Collection Shell Scarf Rings are initially cut from the whole shell. Shells that are larger and structurally intact are prized as they represent a greater product yield. More Scarf Rings from each shell.

The shell is firstly laser cut, and this takes precision cutting for several minutes. This creates the general shape with the Scarf Ring openings. The trick with cutting, is if there are any flaws in the shell already present and not able to be seen with the naked eye, then in the initial cutting process the shell will shatter. If this happens the shell will be discarded. There is always a risk but fortunately enough are able to be cut safely. Shell is amazingly resilient.

Hand polishing Shell Scarf Rings is where the magic happens.

Hand polishing with a fine grain paper over three or more hours ensures the shell transforms into a beautifully smooth object d’art from every angle. The surfaces and edges must be faultlessly smooth and snag free as any contact with silk would be disastrous resulting in pulls or tears. Every Scarf Ring is also checked by hand in our studio when it arrives.

Twilly’s and the large size are both popular, and Salmon and Dark Mother of Pearl are our best sellers. We hope you enjoy the fantastic quality of Liberatti Scarf Rings and discover a new style adventure soon. Nicola x

Designer Socks, It's a Thing

At Liberatti we love to decode ‘the art of seemingly effortless, elegant dressing’. As we explore more on our theme for the month, ‘Top to Toe Sprezzatura’, let us tippy toe into the colourful world of designer socks.

Put simply, the foundation of good dressing, on which everything else quite literally rests, is stylish feet.

We’ve already looked at the renaissance of Italian footwear manufacture this month, and in step with this, but as a broader global phenomenon, we note the rise in popularity of ladies designer socks.

The sock is having a moment.

So next time you are shopping for Scarf Rings or Scarves, add a stylish pair of socks and be assured of top to toe chic!

Chic and inexpensive, designer socks give the wearer another canvas of self expression with so many colours and patterns. If you want to make sure it’s Not Just Another Day at the Office -my advice is, wear these! Nicola Liberatti

Liberatti has partnered with international sock designers to bring you our first collection in the Liberatti Designer Sock Studio.

We will be adding more chic winter and summer ladies designer socks all the time with the aim of offering you socks that wear extremely well, in an array of exciting patterns and colours.

Liberatti socks add a little creativity and style to your inspire you each day.

I have been wearing our socks flat out for over 3 months to put them through their paces. Rigorous testing is required of every product before we make it available . The main stress points we were looking at were elasticity, ability to stay fast and not wash out / lose colour, or leak dye into a wash.

I can happily report that wear after wear, wash after wash, Liberatti Collection socks maintained good elasticity and were 100% color fast.

Ladies Designer Socks ~ A Match Made in Heaven

Take a favourite outfit in a colour you love, and if you are venturing out in flats or boots, add a great pair of matching or contrasting socks.

Chic and so simple ~ Ladies Designer Socks !

It gives me a secret sense of pleasure to wear stylish socks. Like knowing something no one else knows about. Though that’s not entirely true. I get compliments on my socks all the time. People do notice the details. Thank you. Caitlyn ~ Melbourne Australia (Customer)

Make sure it’s not just another day at the office, slip on your new ladies designer socks and enjoy a sense of secret well being, colour and joie de vivre! They work wonders.

Nicola Liberatti

PS Hurry to enter the Competition which closes 31 March
WIN an Hermès Appaloosa Scarf 90cm.

Roman Holiday: Flats & Brogues Short List

Suddenly its 30 degrees in Qatar and the air feels like silk on the skin. No more encouragement is needed to start shopping for summer flats and brogues. The real motivation is a long overdue visit to beautiful Rome and Milan over our Eid holiday, which starts late June.

Not much beats the excitement of seeing a city for the first time and I am really looking forward to exploring both destinations. (If you have any suggestions please send them in).

Cafes, monuments, art, garden tours – we are planning to do the lot and mostly on foot. Good walking shoes and stylish enough for town and countryside, means some studious research and a shortlist of options to consider.

Luckily there are so many chic contenders to match my blazer, shirt and trouser uniform. So pour yourself an Italian Frascati and take a quick tour…you might find a summer sho-mance here, you never know. Ciao Nikki X

Comfort and style equally? A perfect shoe match in this case, will most likely be a classic stylish oxford, brogue, loafer, mule and possibly a sneaker. I am confining the palette to Metallic, Black, Red and Neutrals/Blue.