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Alessandra is an elegant woman. When she is told that she laughs and plays it down. Because she sees herself as a slouching tomboy. And yes, it is true. She is that too. But with her tapered and slim features, she can wear her beloved men's jeans as well as a Yves Saint Laurent vintage - the result is the same. She will always be instinctively chic. Alessandra, mother of the beautiful Leon, who is two and a half years of smiles, is "a woman who does." She has a passion for creating beauty works with her hands. Whether it's the wheel skirts stitched by her tailors, her iPad illustrations, jewellery, tapestry bags, research fabrics and trimmings - her brand is called Italian for Italy - or the small handicrafts she makes at home, when she feels like an "artisan" she's happy. Born in Milan, she studied set and fashion design. She is an empathic creative. "I started from fashion but as I went along I learned the pleasure of manual work. I was self-taught and never went to a workshop. For years I have approached eastern philosophies, yoga and meditation, today I find it useful to meditate by "doing." In gestures I find balance.

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In 1902 "Ditta Riccardo Mantero" was established. Since then the different phases of the company have been intertwined with Italian history. 116 years of growth, transformations and wonderful creations. Creations upon which the Mantero name has always found its place. The name logo has been interpreted and revisited over the years following the succession of generations, fashion changes and the need to communicate, up to the current version of the Company logo and its 1902 Mantero Brand Logo.

At an appointment in the Tortona area of Milan, we are guests of the Nathalie and Virginie Droulers’ design studio – cosmopolitan twins, Como-born and raised to see beauty and to pay attention to unique details. Each with their flair, they together design and furnish homes, shops, hotels and luxury boats. Their taste is appreciated all over the world. Twins. The same. But so different. They run the Droulers Architecture firm in Milan, a luxury and international design "laboratory" (with solid roots in Italian good taste and manufacturing) that deals with architecture and interior design. They love high craftsmanship, formal cleanliness, and the quiet elegance that always makes a space modern. They are more than sisters, as only twins can be. They love and fight each other, and understand each other with a glance. Virginie graduated in Graphic Design from NYC's Parsons. With her short haircut, she is agile and self-confident and deals with interiors, palettes and matching. Nathalie graduated in Architecture from the Milan Polytechnic. A silk blouse and a photo of her children (twins) on her iPhone. She deals with "structures." If you want to build a house from scratch or renovate it from top to bottom, you must ask her. On a sunny afternoon, amidst silk, orchids and colourful bags, they told us about their lives and their idea of charm.