Since the late 1980s, if one would be in Milan and wanted to visit a single retail space that would showcase the very best in footwear and leather accessories — the likes that highlighted independent brands that were fashion-forward in design, comfort and style — one’s best option would be to walk down Via Montenapoleone and enter the 1,200-square-meter Massimo Bonini showroom.
Through the years, Massimo and his wife Sabrina have acted like curators, selecting and forging relationships with targeted brands, with a keen eye for the very best. They now hold exclusivity arrangements with several of these brands across over 80 countries, proof positive that these brands have found a trusted partner in the Boninis in bringing their well-crafted products to market. And here in Manila, Shangri-La’s East Wing is the site of Massimo Bonini’s first retail adventure, as brought to us by Edwin Ngo’s 128 Dream Fountain Corp. (Cole Haan, Bric’s and Versace Jeans are among the other brands carried by this retail group).
Throughout Europe and in the US, any Massimo Bonini boutique makes a loud, declarative sartorial statement; saying that the shoes, bags, and accessories one will find in each of its stores have passed the high standards set by Sabrina and Massimo. These are design standards that speak of creativity, passion, sensitivity and imagination. Whether one is speaking of street shoes, sneakers, or bags, whether for men or for women, the merchandise will epitomize fashion and design “coolness†matched with impeccable craftsmanship. A rundown of just some of the fashion brands represented in a Bonini store will bring one to leather retail heaven: McQ by Alexander McQueen, Thomas Blakk, Kallisté, Henderson, Giambattista Valli, Sebastian, Ernesto Esposito, Etro, Versace, Kartell, Campanile, Kartell, Gianvito Rossi, Missoni, Stephen Venezia and BB Washed. It’s an artful melange that ranges from the classic and timeless, to the modern and funky — and yes, all in one store!
Just recently, the store had its formal launch, with Sabrina and Massimo jetting into town to grace the event. A number of personalities and celebrities, all shoe and bag-lovers, trooped to the event, awed by the selection and array of the boutique, and charmed when Sabrina and Massimo explained their retail philosophy, and how happy they were to now have a presence in Manila. While yes, it is essentially a retail distribution concept, the passion and dedication of the Boninis to bring us creativity and excellence in leather craftsmanship, sets them a niche apart; and a visit to the store is all one needs to understand...and appreciate!
The wonderful world of reinvention
It’s often said that there are finite storylines and book concepts; and that quite often, we are merely talking about language and execution. Well, Vermes utilizes a hoot of a concept and takes flight with it, while S. stretches the meaning of a “book.†Sedgwick does his best in revitalizing an old story standard — vampire lore.
Look Who’s Back by Timur Vermes (available at National Book Store) Here is one controversial premise taken to an entertaining and disturbing conclusion. In much the same manner that Jason Heller gave us Taft 2012, Vermes has Adolf Hitler suddenly materializing in Berlin, with much the same sentiments and message. Mistaken by everyone to be a method impersonator who refuses to slip off-character, he generates a media frenzy and finds that many in modern Germany are still sympathetic to his message. Realizing and harnessing the power of media today, Vermes has us uncomfortably laughing, as he refutes the argument that no one today would allow a Hitler to thrive. A new take on today’s cult of the personality, and celeb status.
S. by JJ Abrams and Doug Dorst (available at National Book Store) Better known for his directing the Star Trek films and now the choice of George Lucas to helm the upcoming Star Wars movie, Abrams collaborates with Dorst on this ingenious “novel†that confounds us on how to “read†it. The challenge comes in the form and execution of how many stories a book may contain. We hold what seems to be a weathered library book, the novel Ship of Theseus, written by V.M. Straka. Then there’s the story that flows from the notes in the margins, written by Eric, a disgraced grad student, and his communicating with Jen, a college senior who borrowed the book. Through these notes, and the littered loose leaf documents, we also get the murky story of Straka himself.
A Love Like Blood by Marcus Sedgwick (available at Fully Booked) The novel opens with Charles of the British Medical Corps on assignment in Paris at the end of WWII. By a chateau’s catacomb, he stumbles upon a man who’s intent on what seems to be a vampiric act with a young woman. Confused, Charles flees, uncertain of what he has witnessed. Eight years later, as a visiting lecturer on hematology, Charles sees the same man in a cafe, talking to a woman who takes Charles’ breath away. This is Marian, an American in Paris who counts mystery man Anton as her patron. What follows is an engrossing tale of obsession, of curiosity, of thwarted ambition, and uncovering evil. While perverse and visceral, the measured poetic style elevates this book.