A Jelly Bean View of Rome

Jelly Bean Bow shoes in a store window in the center of Rome. Photo by Trisha Thomas

Today I decided to take my two daughters shopping.  But since times are tight for everyone, and my wallet is not exactly packed with money, I introduced to them a new kind of shopping — window-shopping. And there is no better place to do that then the center of Rome.  Perhaps because it is the day before Easter, the streets were crowded and the windows were filled with what I can only describe as jelly-bean colored displays.

Faceless Mannequins in a Store in the Center of Rome. Photo by Trisha Thomas

My daughters did enjoy the photos-for-the-blog mission, but I must admit we did have one pre-teen crocodile-tear filled moment “Mamma, you never buy anything for me! Not even a t-shirt! You’re so mean, all you care about is your blog.”

On Rome’s super-chic Via Condotti you find the most expensive stores and all of the top Italian designers — Dolce & Gabbana, Gucci, Armani etc. — and just outside on the street you see mostly north African men selling imitation Louis Vuitton, Fendi, and Gucci bags that look exactly like the originals (and cost a bit less) laid out on the sidewalk.  If you look carefully you can see the reflection of a man selling bags on the sidewalk in the background of the above photo. They are always ready to scoop them up at a moment’s notice and disappear if the police show up.

There are also Bangledeshi and Sri Lankan street vendors with stands with sunglasses, fruit and scarves.

Colorful sunglasses sold for few euros on Rome's Via del Corso. Photo by Trisha Thomas

A scarf at an outdoor stand costs a few euros, while a pretty Easter neck scarf in a chic store costs a pretty penny.

 

An Easter neck scarf in the window of a Rome Store. Photo by Trisha Thomas
Pastel Bras and Underwear on display in Window of Shop in the center of Rome. Photo by Trisha Thomas

Some women might have been tempted to spice up their Easter with some pastel lingerie that made a pleasing display.

Jelly Bean bags in the window at Furla on Via Condotti. Photo by Trisha Thomas

I would have loved to have bought one of the bright jelly-bean colored, rubbery Furla bags, but they cost too much (165 Euros). Just think of all the stuff you could shove into one of those bags, and you could spill anything on it and it would wipe right off.  The perfect bag for a messy, disorganized Mamma. My camera is on the blink so I was using my blackberry for these photos.  With my blackberry I have to get very close to take a picture, that’s why you see the reflection of my hands in many of these photos.

Neckties in the window of a Rome store. Photo by Trisha Thomas
Jewely on display at a store in the Galleria Sordi in the Center of Rome. Photo by Trisha Thomas

I didn’t even bother looking at thie prices on the items in this jewelry store display, but I love the pink butterfly.

Interestingly, I may not be buying the luxury Italian goods that I ogled along Via Condotti, but some people are.  An article this week in Italy’s daily “La Repubblica” titled “Luxury Resists the Crisis, A Golden Season for Designer Products Made in Italy” reported that the economic crisis in Europe has not hit the luxury goods, to the contrary, they are making record sales.  So while some people are tightening their belts, worrying about their credit card debts and mortgages, others are spending $525 dollars for Gucci Sneakers, $1330 for a Prada Canvas tote bag, $1970 for a Brunello Cucinelli cable-knit cardigan, or $2890 for a little black Valentino dress.

(Even if I won the lottery, I don’t think I could buy a $1970 cardigan, I would spill olive oil on it with the first salad I ate and that would be that.)

According to the report, Prada’s profits rose 72 percent in 2011 with a total earnings of 2.5 billion Euro and total profits of 432 million Euro.  Gucci’s total earnings were 3 billion Euros up by 18 percent from 2010, and Valentino’s earnings were up 17.5 percent to 322 million Euros.  Not bad.

Now who has all this money to spend these days?  According to the report, the buyers are mostly non-Italians.  Most of the products are sold abroad, some in other countries in Europe and the United States but their biggest sales are in the emerging markets in Latin America and Asia, specifically, China, India and Indonesia.

So while Americans and Italians are wearing Converse high-tops, Indonesians and Venezuelans are in Gucci sneakers? I’m not sure, but I will ask my father who does a lot of consultancies in Asia what people have on their feet in Jakarta and Bandar Seri Begawan, perhaps some of these shoes below.

Men's shoes in colorful Easter display at Rome Store. Photo by Trisha Thomas

I am not sure how I feel about men in lavender shoes, but the display is fun.

Happy Easter says the sign on this Rome Store with Children's clothing on Via del Corso. Photo by Trisha Thomas

Happy Easter says this sign on this shop window and I could not agree more.

 

 

 

 

12 thoughts on “A Jelly Bean View of Rome”

    1. Trisha Thomas

      Cara and Stefano — Thank you for your comment. I just checked out your website and it looks lovely! Love the description of the origins and traditions around the Neapolitan Pastiera–just polished off a large slice of one a few hours ago and had no idea of the sigjificance. Blog readers, check out their site at http://www.duespaghetti.com

  1. And Buona Pasqua to you too Trisha! Surprised to see you had time to write a blog the day before Easter. No special brodo to make? Maybe your mamma-in-law had that under control….Thanks for a delightful and colorful post. My husband is traveling to China in May on business. I’ll have him check out the shoe situation. The last time he went to China he passed by a Ferrari dealership. Go figure?!

    1. Trisha Thomas

      Thank you for your comment Sally. I will have to investigate — but I would guess that Ferrari is doing a lot of business in China (probably in Russia too). Ferrari’s a probably the perfect example of Made in Italy luxury goods that the super-rich keep on buying even in times of economic crisis. Yes, I did have time to window-shop the day before Easter because we were invited to a friend’s villa in Tuscany for a big traditional Easter feast. It was fabulous! Let me know about the shoes in China….are all the Chinese women wearing Prada shoes?

  2. Just love the color and vibrancy and the minor melt down. We window shop so often my children don’t think the shops sell things you can actually take with you lol.
    A very happy Easter to you all
    ciao lisa

    1. Trisha Thomas

      Thanks Lisa, I wish I could convince my children that the stuff in the windows cannot be bought. The problem is I have two teens and one pre-teen and they call think I am one gigantic bank machine ready to spew forth money whenever needed. I tell them that the bank machine goes “out of order” a lot.

  3. Happy Easter
    I love reading your blog and your pictures are beautiful. It makes me feel like I’m back in Italy. Miss you. Leslie

    1. Trisha Thomas

      Thank you Leslie! I miss you too. You must come back to visit Italy…we can go window-shopping in Rome together, or hiking in Tuscany if you prefer.

  4. . . you’re making this stuff up! I don’t believe anyone would COULD wear any of that stuff – apart from the underwear which would go down well in a pole dancing bar (not that I would know about such places!).

    1. Trisha Thomas

      I swear I am not making this stuff up! Italians do where those clothes. I will do another post with photos of people in these items to prove it.

Leave a Comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *