Artisan Holiday Gift Guide
The pandemic has wreaked havoc on Italy’s small business sector. So far, an estimated 250,000 small businesses have shuttered for good (in a country the size of Florida). In an effort to support our fellow artisans, for whom Sieme is inspired, we have put together a guide to some of our favorite local makers, chefs and small businesses. Read on to discover our favorite local Florentine artisans and their most coveted creations and experiences. Everyone on our list has easy and accessible shipping to the United States so you can bring a little “La Bella Vita” to your loved ones this holiday season. Happy Shopping!
The DoLCe Vita experience
VIRTUAL FRESH PASTA MAKING CLASSes
Looking to gift an experience rather than more stuff this year? Our good friend and personal chef of choice Illeana offers virtual fresh pasta making classes you can share with others. She designs all of her virtual classes to be successful using tools you are sure to have in your kitchen AND sends you a shopping list well in advance to prepare all the ingredients.. You can even shop her favorite and most vetted pasta making tools on her website so you can continue your new found skills well into the future. We can personally attest to the fact that her past dishes and flavor concoctions are some of the best in Florence!
JEN LEO ART
Contemporary Art Prints and Original Paintings of our favorite city through a modern and colorful lens
We absolutely love how Jen’s use of color and linework reimagines Florence in a contemporary and playful way. These artworks add some colorful wanderlust to any space!
QUOIO FIRENZE
Personalized rugged Florentine leather goods crafted completely by hand.
With a small shop in Santo Spirito, this brand uses traditional vegetable tanned leather and hand stitches all of their products! Perfect for the more classic guy in your life, all of these leather goods are crafted with the utmost expertise and highest quality materials and are durable enough to withstand the test of time. We especially love their leather belts which you can personalize with embossed initials!
OZIO PICCOLO STUDIO TESSILE
HAND LOOM WOVEN 100% WOOL, COTTON AND LINEN ACCESSORIES
We first met Ozio at an Artisan fair in a local piazza in Florence. In a sea of charming handmade goods, his hand loom woven winter scarves and accessories stopped us in our tracks. After sourcing the highest quality 100% natural yarns in Italy, he designs and builds the wooden looms himself to achieve the precise patterns and weaves he designs. This commitment to the highest level of craftsmanship is the true definition of Italian Artistry and these are some of the most beautiful artisan products we have seen since living in Florence. Any of his products would make a truly wonderful gift for anyone on your list, he even packages them in burnished pine wood boxes to reduce plastic waste!
CURIOUS APPETITE
TUSCAN GOURMET FOOD BASKETS + THE COVETED NEGRONI CLUB
We LOVE a good aperitivo, and because we cannot go out to the restaurants in Florence right now, we have been making our own at home! The Curious Appetite has a variety of seasonal gourmet gift baskets sourced from the best producers in Tuscany along with some other regional specialties like Calabrian chili (you haven’t lived until you have tried it on pizza!) With an eye towards U.S. customers, they make the process of procuring those impossible to find Italian delicacies as easy as possible.
Protip: Looking for an extra special gift for the cocktail lover in your life? Check out their Negroni Club which boasts a box of completely artisanally made italian spirits, a virtual Italian mixology course and the option to add Amaro and Grappa boxes as well!
SIlvia Loggia Art
Impressionist decor and wall hangings hand crafted from reclaimed materials
Silvia creates stunning wall hangings and decorations from reclaimed wood, metal, glass and stucco. When we first found her at a local fair we were instantly inspired. We especially love her night cityscape picture frames which are gorgeous enough to hang as art themselves!
LADY RIPPLE
HANDCRAFTED SILVER BUMBLE BEE CUFFLINKS, EARRINGS AND PENDANTS
We absolutely love the ethos behind Lady Ripple. They work with local Florentine jewelers to craft exquisite bumble bee inspired jewelry with 10% of profits donated to bumblee restoration efforts throughout Italy. Bumble bees throughout the world have been at risk of dying out and are a crucial part of maintaining our natural world. Save the bees and look fabulous doing it. We recommend adding a few jars of artisanal Tuscan honey to your order. The miele di Castagne (chestnut honey) is an autumn specialty!
In addition to these wonderful artisans…
here are our favorite stocking stuffers from SIEME
Crafted by hand from excess leather left over from local luxury handbag production (ehem Gucci), we designed the perfect journal we couldn’t find anywhere with thick artist quality paper, and lots of it. Small enough to throw in a bag but beautiful enough to covet forever, these journals are perfect for the list maker, artist or writer in your life.
Have you checked out our new Double Masked Scarves? The next evolution in our collection, these lux scarves are a generous rectangle shape with a detachable mask that buttons off. Styled 4 different ways, give the gift of versatility this season. Your loved ones can stay protected now and stay fabulous later!
Italians tend to wear paisley during the holidays like Americans wear ugly christmas sweaters… we’re officially adopting the Italian version of this tradition!
We hope you enjoyed exploring these Florentine Artisans. Our passion and mission at Sieme is to work with Italian artisans in all capacities to continuously elevate quality, sustainability and true craft. If you enjoyed this list and want to receive even more exclusive interviews, guides and information about living an Artisanal Italian Lifestyle, subscribe to our mailing list! Happy Holidays and remember, if you can, shop small, shop sustainable and support artisans.
All the creative vibes!
Cassandra Kane
Founder + Designer
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