An Italian Treasure ~ Ambra Lingerie
By ELLEN LEWIS
Some years ago, while traveling to Bologna to see the La Perla factory, I had dinner in Fiesole with my Italian market contact, Gianna. On the way from her Florence office, we stopped at her tiny studio apartment. It was a basic abode, nothing glamourous, but very cozy. When she opened her dresser drawer to reveal a generous berth of designer lingerie, I was a bit taken aback. These brands were expensive. Curious about why she spent so much money on her underwear, I asked her to explain. Her response changed my perspective on intimate apparel. She told me that for Italian women, Lingerie is like fine jewelry, a body accessory to be coveted. They are collectibles, like the solid gold earrings I had purchased with her that afternoon on the Ponte Vecchio.
It’s not always easy to put my finger on the legacy of Italian lingerie. Besides the wealth of art that permeates the culture and the artisans whose heritage flows from its renaissance roots, there is an elegance generic to Italian style. Certainly, my husband’s comment to me, some 40 years ago, while honeymooning in Florence comes to mind. There is just something about Italian women, undefinable self-confidence, and style, that makes them so appealing.
These memories surfaced this season when I saw the Ambra Lingerie collection, initially at Curve in Feb and now on the Evolution Concept Show website. From creation through production, Ambra encapsulates the essence of Italian design. Using the finest techniques founded in Calais leavers lace, Swiss embroidery, and Italian silks, Ambra creates, develops, and produces lingerie 100% in their Italian factories. The company has been delivering handcrafted quality and value for 65 years!
Featured here are elements of the brand’s permanent collections, Douce Dentelle and Douce Dentelle Light, available in a range of sizes 32-38, B-E cups, XS-XL panties. Twenty fine tulle-based shapes offer the customer choices between modern untrimmed underpinnings or romantic lacy lingerie. These are lingerie treasures mined from the heart of Italian artistry.
“You May Have the Universe If I May Have Italy” Giuseppi Verdi
