My Creative Cup of Tea

January 21, 2024

#InPartnershipwithMCCOT

VIRTUOSA MUSE

Bari

Italy

Life is made up of a series of choices, decisions and their resulting changes. Small or big. Professional or personal. Planned or not. In a lifetime, each human being often finds oneself at a crossroads. Forced to close a chapter and open a brand new one, yet to be written. After living 15 years in London, a metropolis where she worked as corporate language consultant at prestigious multinational companies and law firms, Apulian-born Antonella Rivieccio made the decision to follow her heart and to come back to her roots. With no regrets. Just an old dream on her mind. After a successful and busy career in the corporate training area spent abroad and crowned by the publication, as co-author, of a bestselling textbook for foreign students, she came back to Bari, her beloved hometown. Time had come for her to slow down, take a well-deserved break and plan to start fresh. As Eleanor Roosevelt, the wise activist and brave wife of 32nd American President Franklin Delano Roosevelt, once said 'The future belongs to the ones who believe in the beauty of their dreams', Antonella started to work hard with dedication to make hers come true. In 2019, she established VIRTUOSA MUSE, her young and promising eco-responsible brand of 'Made to order' (to avoid waste and stock) and 'Made to last' luxury 'Handcrafted in Apulia with love' blouses. Beautiful easy-to-wear, timeless and seasonless sophisticated feminine items ethically and locally produced by skilled Apulian female pattern makers, cutters, and dressmakers. Pieces to mix-and-match to create one-of-a-kind daily and night outfits, which celebrate an Apulian quiet luxury. Essential and durable Must-have garments to keep in your wardrobe, cherish and pass on from generation to generation. Antonella has always loved to wear blouses. The first sample, she designed and put in production, was the result of the upcycling of a 1970s tailor in silk of her mother. 'I have always appreciated sartorial fashion and the classic cut garment, which lasts over time. Repeat outfits has always been a strict rule of mine, I would say. I think that wearing a garment several times is also a way to remember beautiful, important and special moments in our lives. I don't understand the constant need to change outfits; a need that fast fashion has taken to the extreme with the well-known consequences for the planet.' she says. Proud ambassador of a Slow and responsible Fashion, as well as, one of the virtuous and useful Circular Economy, Antonella is a female entrepreneur who founded her business with a strong purpose and collaborates with brands that value local craftsmanship. Every single blouse ordered is handcrafted in small and local Apulian workshops, which only use precious Italian fabrics as crêpe de Chine, Organza or pure silk, as well as premium scraps from the Como's textile district. If VIRTUOSA MUSE is a high-quality and committed-to-the-environment brand, the latter is also a proudly responsible and ethical one, for which the human being comes first. For Antonella, paying tribute to the priceless centenarian local artisanal know-how and empowering the 'virtuous' Apulian' 'Petites mains', high-value women she is building long-term and strong bonds with, is indeed an absolute priority. Inspired by classic tailoring and characterized by a contemporary and minimalist aesthetic, each blouse is designed to be worn by a conscious female consumer, of any age, who loves an effortless elegance and cares for the environment. As committed, emblematic, strong, talented and inspirational women like actresses Katherine Hepburn, Tilda Swinton, Cate Blanchett or Emma Watson. All muses, that Antonella is a big fan of. Wearing a VIRTUOSA MUSE item should be considered as a statement. A message to the world. A way to reaffirm your commitment. Available 'Made to order', VIRTUOSA MUSE could be soon available in some luxury multi-brand boutiques in Italy and worldwide.