Bellissimo! bags, belts, clothes and candles

hand crafted by local women artisans

Last month during a nostalgic visit to my former neighborhoods in Rome I noted sadly that many shops of handmade items had disappeared.

Where would grandmothers now find special outfits for their little ones ? Had the fast/cheap clothing industry destroyed the joys of handmade accessories ?

one of the few shops with high end children’s clothing in central Rome

With rents in Rome skyrocketing in view of Holy Year many crafts people who work independently such as artisans and artists, have abandoned the metropolis, preferring smaller towns outside Rome.

That evening, driving home from the station in Vetralla along the busy Via Cassia, I passed a couple of brightly lit shops belonging to artisans who now work and live in the Vetralla-Viterbo area. Here independent artisans can enjoy a quieter lifestyle, have larger premises for creating their handmade items and sell them directly to clients.

Quality instead of quantity is the first rule of Italian fashion- as the well known Italian saying goes “Chi piu’ spende, meno spende”. Using excellent materials and workmanship guarantee quality items that look great and last forever. A leather belt or bag handmade by Paola will last a lifetime, and the children’s vestitini/outfits by Maria Antoinetta can be passed down to the next generation.

Here are three women artisans who create special hand-made items. Keep them in mind when you want to pamper yourself, a special friend or family member with a bespoke gift. These artisans were not included in the popular guidebooks I helped to write many years ago. “Designer Bargains in Italy” and “Scoprioccasioni “ are no longer published and those in my library are very outdated.

Paola Calistri creates handmade leather items and sells them at weekend fairs in Trevignano Romano, on Lake Bracciano, just north of Rome. Weather permitting the fair will be held this weekend -Feb. 15-16. During the week she can be found at her shop in Vetralla. Check out her Instagram and Facebook page Martelletto for more photos. paolacalistri@gmail.com

The perfume of finely crafted leather at Martelletto gives way to those of wax and flowers in the adjacent premises of candle-maker Elisa, La Candelara. Cura di Vetralla, half way between the railway station and historic center of Vetralla, known for its tradition of craftsmanship.

Elisa, from nearby Civita Castellana, specializes in the unusual craft of candle making using natural waxes. The delicate roses and other flowers made from impalpable colored waxes delight all the senses. Check her Facebook page and Instagram ellygio for more images. Party and wedding favors, mini-sculptures and special gifts can be personalized for all events.

Children’s outfits for special occasions, accessories and even baptismal gowns can be found at the atelier of Maria Antoinetta Lettera who has supplied exclusive shops in Rome for years but now works out of her home in Vetralla’s historic center.

La Maison Viaggiante di Bebetta Mariaantoniettalettera@gmail.com

Coming up : Borgo Pio and Vatican neighborhoods with local residents’ suggestions for lunch. Carnival parades are happening this weekend in many towns north of Rome. In Vetralla it is on Sunday Feb. 16 at 4 p.m. There will be crowds, music, floats and crazy costumes. See a reel of last year’s Carnival parade on my Instagram MaryVetralla .

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Happy Valentine’s Day and Carnival season!