Let me introduce the charming “signora veneziana” Gloria Beggiato, owner of the magnificent Hotel Metropole and creator of the 2013 Fashion Design Made In Venice a five months event dedicated to strictly Venetian designers whose products favour refined and precious materials

Once a year, the windows of the Metropole’s Oriental Bar become a luxurious display of Venetian excellence and help rediscover objects combining art, technique and fashion.
www.hotelmetropole.com

Among this year artists, Marisa Convento presented Venetian Dreams, an amazing collection of necklaces, earrings, bags and corals created from the most beautiful Venetian glass beads as a tribute to the traditional crafts of Venice, once entrusted to the patient and creative hand of the “impiraresse” (bead workers).

Despite hours of work Marisa aims to keep prices under control. For example, a stunning glass bauble on a cord costs about $75 and this elegant handmade bag is less than $250.

Coming right from the sea…This spectacular necklace looks like a coral tree, but is actually made from minuscule red beads. It took two weeks of work!

Marisa is also an enthusiastic supporter of DO YOU BEAD? www.doyoubead.com , a project that aims to popularize the culture and tradition of glass beads produced in
Venice and Murano, increasingly threatened by the marketing of no value products
 and no historical repertory.

In an age of fakes and degradation of genuine products, what is common to all designers and companies involved in
DYB? is a great passion for these little wonders that are traditional Venetian beads

The glass beads are in fact part of the fundamental enormous artistic heritage that the city of Venice has produced over the centuries.

Check Marisa Convento web www.venetiandreams.altervista.org