Happy new year 2021

Calzoleria Pisana shoes and Sleevehead’s Guide to Sicilian Tailors in Sartoria Arrigo. Photo credit: Juhn Maing.

Calzoleria Pisana shoes and Sleevehead’s Guide to Sicilian Tailors in Sartoria Arrigo. Photo credit: Juhn Maing.

Best new year wishes to all!

Last year, we met with customers who felt comfortable doing so and connected them to our Sicilian tailors for virtual fittings. Back in Sicily, the tailors stayed safe and tended to the health of their tailoring businesses during the pandemic.

Now that two vaccines have been approved and others likely to follow, we believe that we will be able to fully resume in-person appointments in the second half of 2021.

We look forward to meeting everyone again in person and will let you know when we resume our normal travel schedule.

Stanford Magazine award for article on Sicilian Reserve

Photo credit: Stanford Magazine

Photo credit: Stanford Magazine

I was very pleasantly surprised to learn that Stanford Magazine’s article on my work in Sicilian tailoring has just won an award for feature writing - the 2020 Circle of Excellence Award by the Council for Advancement and Support of Education.

Congratulations to the editorial and creative team of Kathy Zonana, Deni Bechard, Timothy Archibald and Giorgia Virgili! I thoroughly enjoyed working with all of them and send a hearty “grazie mille” to all of them.

As an alum, it’s also a special treat to see their work recognized on campus. Go Stanford!

Spring 2020 update

This week the government of Italy announced a quarantine of the entire country due to the global outbreak of the novel coronavirus COVID-19. The lockdown will last until at least April 2, 2020.

As of now, this outbreak has not directly affected the Sicilian tailors and artisans we work with. But in keeping with the travel restrictions, we are holding off any tailor visits through April 2 and most likely through the summertime.

As for upcoming US appointments, I’m still planning to visit the Bay Area next week to meet clients for fittings. If anything should change to alter my plans, I will be contacting individuals directly.

In the meantime, I will be available to meet for initial and follow-up consultations and/or orders while observing the latest health and safety guidelines for such meetings.

January 2020 trunk show

Last month Claudio and I wrapped up a productive week of client appointments in San Francisco/Bay Area and New York City and we look forward to returning later this year.

Next up will be a visit this month by Guido Davi in New York City.

In the meantime, safe travels to everyone!

Rethinking craftsmanship

John Ruskin in 1863. Photo credit: Wikipedia.

John Ruskin in 1863. Photo credit: Wikipedia.

Happy holidays to all. It’s also a time of reflection.

I invite you to read an article I recently wrote on what craftsmanship means today and how to sustain it for the future.

If we appreciate craft and craftsmanship in a new way, my hope is that we’ll find a better way to sustain it going forward.

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November 2019 trip

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This past week wraps up a year of increased travel and growth. Launching Sicilian Reserve was exciting but it’s even better to see something through and improve what we do along the way.

I’m happy to say that Sicilian Reserve has been adding more tailors to the US visits and offering greater choice and convenience to customers on the East and West Coast.

Last week I traveled with Guido Davi to meet with new and returning customers for fittings and fresh orders in San Francisco and New York.

We look forward to returning again next year!

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