In Venice, a stationery shop has become a hub for fashion and design
Three boutiques offering a mix of Alvar Aalto pieces, light summer dresses, fair-trade baskets and technical clothing for road trips.
by Lisa Corva
It all began with a stationery and bookshop. One of those old-fashioned shops that have come back into fashion for those discovering or rediscovering the analogue world. Today, Tonolo Selezioni has three shops in three cities: Mirano, Venice and Verona. ‘Exactly forty years have passed,’ says Federica Gallo. ‘I was just a girl, not even of age. In Mirano, there was a stationery and bookshop for sale, owned by a philosophy professor, Tonolo. My parents were in on it, helping me to take it over. Out of respect, we kept the professor’s name. A bit like when you buy a boat: no one dares to change its name, and as a former sailor, I know that all too well.”
Three shops, then, where you’ll find fashion and design, created by companies that have been part of the shops’ range for a long time. ‘Perhaps what I like most is the sense of continuity: choosing an item that lasts, even for generations. In the three shops, for example, you’ll always find the Sarpaneva—more than just a pot, it’s a symbolic wedding gift, an object for nurturing and raising a new family.” Made of cast iron with a wooden handle, it was designed in 1960 by the Finnish designer Timo Tapani Sarpaneva, who gave it its name, and is still produced by Iittala (€285).
Tonolo stores stock the full Iittala range, alongside many other well-known brands. ‘There are fabrics by Johanna Gullichsen, who uses looms designed by Alvar Aalto, as well as Fermob, whose Bistro (€80) and Luxembourg (€269) chairs I’ve always owned. The latter is the one that, in miniature, Jonathan Anderson chose to attach to the invitation for the latest Dior fashion show. The baskets for keeping at home, or for doing the market shop with a vintage touch, are by Mifuko, a social enterprise project involving African women (from 55 euros). From Artek, as well as the stool designed by Alvar Aalto (from €270), I’ve chosen the fragrance created in collaboration with Comme des Garçons: Artek Standard has a base of white wood, with notes of ginger, saffron and musk. We also stock Monocle fragrances. As for fashion, these are her selection criteria: ‘I started with loungewear – practical, comfortable, almost a contemporary uniform. I select brands that embody this philosophy: clothes that are conceptually similar to what the apron once was, and where the fabric is fundamental.” As in the almost dancing dresses by Casey Casey (from €950) and Sofie D’hoore, or the ultra-lightweight cotton, which looks like gauze, from Album di Famiglia (from €390), with their no-iron trousers.
Trippen shoes are a must-have – incredibly comfortable (from €270) – as are Freitag bags. “When I travel, I only take what fits into their Julien (€180), the tote bag made, like all their designs, from recycled lorry tarpaulins. This one also has a strap to turn it into a rucksack. Light luggage is a must for me as I travel by motorbike: that’s why I use and sell technical clothing by Houdini and Arc’teryx. I rode my BMW all the way to Sweden: I’m passionate about all things engineering, and I wanted to see the bridge over the Øresund strait,” she recalls, before sharing her tips for her three favourite cities.
“In Venice, definitely the Querini Stampalia Foundation. From my shop window, I can see their new lion sculpture. For a bite to eat, head to Estro, which has a selection of natural wines.”
