Memories of Italy
About Memories of Italy
Memories of Italy Collection
Memories of Italy is a brand that curates beautiful everyday items that have been used in Italy. The brand was founded by designer Kaori Shiina and her partner Riccardo Nardi. Living in Milan and busy with their design work, they would occasionally spend holidays in small villages in Tuscany, such as Santa Fiora, seeking nature. Tuscany is Riccardo's hometown, and during their travels, the Val d'Orcia particularly captivated them. Prompted by the pandemic, they moved there in search of a life closer to nature. As Kaori spent more time at home, she gained new insights into the household tools that have long been used in Italy. These were familiar items to Italians, such as carafes and glasses for wine, and marble mortars. Memories of Italy was born from re-editing these cherished tools accumulated over many years of living in Italy.
About Val d'Orcia
Val d'Orcia is located about a two-hour drive southeast of Florence, Italy. Stone houses dot the vast hills through which the pilgrimage route to Rome passes, and cypress trees cast straight shadows here and there. The beautiful, picturesque landscape created by nature and human activity has fostered a timeless history and aesthetic of life. It captivated even Renaissance artists and was registered as a World Cultural Heritage site in 2004. Although the Val d'Orcia is now known for its beautiful scenery, it was originally unsuitable for cultivation. However, by improving the soil over a long period and carefully cultivating the land, a miraculously beautiful landscape was created. It is perhaps because of this history of human endeavor that it is registered as a cultural heritage site, not a natural heritage site. The nostalgia that everyone feels for this iconic Tuscan landscape may be less about its beauty and more about the deep emotion evoked by the continuous human activity it represents.
From Kaori Shiina
I moved to Italy at the age of 24 to become an interior designer and have been working as a designer primarily in Milan. I met my partner, Riccardo Nardi, and our Lagotto Romagnolo dog, Pupa, and now live in Val d'Orcia. I opened "MANUFACTO STORE," a shop that also serves as my office in San Quirico d'Orcia, and it handles "heartfelt items" by Japanese and Italian artisans, including "Memories of Italy." Items that convey the makers' intentions and endure through time possess a mysterious charm that makes everyday moments feel beautiful. / Shiina
