Rome, Trendy and Fashionable: this is the new face of the ete al city

The “New Roman Style” a fascinating itinerary to discover the hidden corners of Rome, from fashion to design, art and cuisine, here are all the most in places in the capital.

Rome the Ete
al City? Of course, if you think of all the treasures and artistic masterpieces in the capital that represent human civilization from ancient Roman times, through the Renaissance and Baroque. But Rome is also much more than this. In recent years it has become an open-air artistic and cultural “workshop”. Alongside its historic monuments, the feature that distinguishes it around the globe, there are initiatives that look to the present and the future, just as in London, Paris and New York. There are flourishing modern art galleries, avant-garde buildings, trendy shops and night spots that go in for designer décor and minimal chic, while the oriental and ethnic styles hold sway in nearly all the neighbourhoods. In other words, you don’t need to go abroad to find out what is all the rage, because Rome has become a world leader in fashion, art and design.

In the spirit of Zen, with a minimalist look and a desire to seek out the trendiest places in the city, taste oriental dishes or enjoy the ritual of a fashionable aperitif follow our itinerary of the latest and most exotic spots in the capital.

A shop that has become one of the most popular in the city opened some time ago right next door to the Hotel dei Piranesi. It is a boutique, a feng shui furnishings centre, a florist’s, a café, a restaurant, an art gallery, a bookshop, a beauty salon, in a nutshell it is a concept store called Tad. In the very heart of Rome this is the perfect place to begin your day, it is a modular space of 1000 square metres, streamlined and decorated with gaudy colours, housing a varied collection of items for the home and for personal use. Give yourself a new look with the help of an expert stylist, buy a shantung garment and enjoy a coffee with an Arabic aroma to start the day with renewed energy. You’ll find the most original things with a particular focus on oriental trends (Tad, Via del Babuino, 155a Tel. 06 32669511).

Not far away, in Via Vittoria, there is another temple of oriental culture. It is called Thè Verde (Via Vittoria, 23 Tel. 06 32110174) after the green tea that is so popular in China and Japan. Entering this small shop is like plunging into a Zen atmosphere. Everything is arranged with the utmost care in a way that reminds you of the rules of feng shui. Soft lighting, large brickwork shelves and small niches enhance the display of very special objects that include, for example, Chinese vases, Middle-Easte
necklaces, silk and cashmere shawls, but above all tea services and the ingredients for the tea drinking ritual. Continuing down the same street, at number 55 you come to a young designer’s small jewellery shop Cristina Di Stefano Creazioni Orafe (Tel. 06 6791546). This very minimal shop has just opened and displays and sells fascinating designer jewellery in gold and silver with gemstones and precious stones in all shapes and colours. It is the ideal place if you’re looking for a special gift for a trendy spirited person who will be sure of wearing an absolutely original and unique piece of jewellery.

Obviously a piece of jewellery like this demands the right outfit to match it. Il Baco da Seta (Via Vittoria, 75 Tel. 06 6793907) is just the place for this. The name of this boutique means “silkworm” and here, of course, silk reigns supreme and it is worked in thousands of ways in colours that range from hemp to orange, from desert shades to Mediterranean hues. There are fascinating clothes by young designers who draw inspiration from the Orient and interpret the lines of samurai and geisha garments in a modern key. If you prefer the African style to the Orient, then pay a visit to Monies (Via Vittorai, 37) a small, chic, ethnic shop selling objects, furniture and items for home decoration inspired by the desert and safari style, and while we’re on the subject, pop into Exante Due at number 13 in the same street, where you’ll enjoy choosing really unusual pieces of costume jewellery.

Now it’s time for a coffee break or, if you want to be really fashionable, for a stylish aperitif. The “in” place is Shaki (Via Mario de’ Fiori, 29/a Tel. 06 6791694), a wine bar that has become a must for the young and trendy. It is small, but offers a great variety of teas and coffees with most unusual flavours, as well as appetizing snacks and good wine. Contemporary in style, everything here has that unmistakable designer touch, from the cups and plates to the glasses and napkins. If there is something that takes your fancy and you’d like to buy it, you can find it at the Shaki shop not far away in Piazza di Spagna (no.
65 Tel. 06 6786605).

We continue our itinerary through the new modish capital with a visit to the Galleria Colonna, named after the actor Alberto Sordi, which has recently reopened and become a focal point for Rome fashions. A short walk takes you to one of the latest bookstores in the Feltrinelli chain. This is a large space devoted to culture, which, as well as books and music, also has an art gallery that mounts exhibitions for young up-and-coming artists, photographers and sculptors, and a music bar where live jazz or blues is played at every Sunday brunch.