TOSCANA LOVERS: THE SHOPS FOR THE BEST TUSCAN CRAFTSMANSHIP
TABLEWARE, KITCHEN, AND BATHROOM ITEMS MADE ACCORDING TO TRADITION OR WITH THE CREATIVITY OF MASTERS OF ART. THEY CARRY WITH THEM A CENTURY OF HISTORY.
Toscana Lovers boutique for the best Tuscan handicraft loom-woven fabrics
The three Toscana Lovers stores in Siena, Bagno Vignoni, and Cortona are owned by Casato SRL, a company wholly owned by Donatella Cinelli Colombini and her daughter Violante. Casato SRL also owns the 20 hectares of vineyards and the Casato Prime Donne winery buildings in Montalcino, where Donatella produces Brunello and Rosso di Montalcino, which she exports to 44 foreign markets.
HISTORY OF THE TOSCANA LOVERS CHAIN OF STORES
“The first Toscana Lovers shop opened in Siena in 2006, when I finished my first term as the city’s tourism councillor,” says Donatella Cinelli Colombini. “I thought I wouldn’t be re-elected. My husband, Carlo, owned a beautiful shop in Siena’s historic centre, and I asked him to vacate it so we could start a business selling Tuscan objects handcrafted according to our traditions.
I didn’t expect the mayor to call me back to serve as councillor, and when he did, I asked him, ‘But what am I going to do with the shop now? I’ve also bought the furniture.’ He replied, ‘Open it, but don’t make any requests to the city.’ That’s why the shop remained without a sign for five whole years. It was during my time as tourism councillor that I realized that craftsmanship is the true barrier to the decline of tourism, from fake souvenirs to industrial imitations—often imported from abroad—of traditional products.”
The building that houses the Siena store was originally a convent, then, like the entire Fontebranda district, it was used for artisan workshops and trade. It was here that the grandparents of Carlo Gardini, Donatella Cinelli Colombini’s husband, had their leather shop.
AFTER SIENA, THE TOSCANA LOVERS STORES IN BAGNO VIGNONI AND CORTONA ARE BORN
Toscana Lovers boutique for best Tuscan handicraft resin objects and ceramics for the table
On March 24, 2016, the second Toscana Lovers store opened in Bagno Vignoni, a jewel nestled in the Val d’Orcia, a small UNESCO World Heritage site that has become a cult destination for wellness enthusiasts thanks to its exclusivity and history. The store is located around the pool where Saint Catherine and Lorenzo the Magnificent bathed.
The next Toscana Lovers store opened on April 1, 2018, in Cortona, the most American of Tuscany’s small art cities, known for the novel “Under the Tuscan Sun” by Francis Mayes. It is also the birthplace of Jovanotti and, in 1596, of Luca Berettini, known as “da Cortona.” The store is in the main square, in front of the town hall steps
The selection of suppliers and the construction of the Toscana Lovers retail space were a lengthy process. Finally, after six years, the project reached its current form. Now the shops are similar in style as well as in the merchandise they sell. Each has light-lacquered shelving, authentic local antique cupboard, an antique Sienese wrought-iron chandelier, and at least one table set with antique chairs in the centre. The style reflects the quintessential Tuscan simplicity and elegance.
WHAT DO THE TOSCANA LOVERS STORES SELL?
Toscana Lovers stores sell the finest Tuscan craftsmanship: from small everyday objects to near-masterpieces. Consequently some are unique, handmade pieces, others come from small Tuscan workshops.
These objects tell an ancient story, updated by the creativity of artisans. In some cases, they draw on tradition in their production processes and materials, while in others, they create new creations inspired by the master craftsmen of the past. Tuscan creativity is evident in every object.
The vast majority of the products sold at Toscana Lovers are everyday items for the table, bathroom, and kitchen. There are also a few scarves and cloaks, also made in the region. Only a very few products are decorative objects.
Each product is an authentic piece of Tuscan tradition and creative talent, with the sole exception of the Umbrian loom-woven fabrics.
Scarperia knives, which since the Renaissance have been the “sharp blades” that for centuries have rivalled those of Toledo and Sheffield.
Soaps made with bronze moulds in Tuscany’s second-oldest waxworks and scented with natural essences like the traditional Chianti iris.
Ceramics reinvented by master craftsmen from the Montelupo area, who transform orange crates into trays, enamel jars into jugs, flowers into bowls… They create seemingly lopsided plates that resemble small works of contemporary art.
The resin objects encapsulating Tuscan flowers, leaves, and berries allow you to bring little pieces of our countryside to the table.
Olive wood cutting boards.
The woven fabrics come from Umbria, a region with a tradition that dates back to the Middle Ages.
Two shops also sell Donatella Cinelli Colombini’s wines and oil (Fattoria del Colle and Casato Prime Donne), but they aren’t the main focus because Toscana Lovers is dedicated to Tuscan craftsmanship and allows travellers to bring an authentic piece of this region into their homes.