Ethics and Beauty in Florentine Shops- Todo Modo: Pietro Torrigiani

Interview by Fabrizio Ulivieri and Laura Tressel


Where does the name of your bookshop, Todo Modo come from?

It comes from a famous book written by the Italian author Leonardo Sciascia, which they also made into a film. We also chose the name because the letters "T" and "M" are included in all the surnames of the people who work in the shop, which makes it more personal.

There are five of us who work together in the store. My wife and I manage the store and the books, there is someone in charge of the wine selection for the bar, and there are two guys who work outside with publishers. We all collaborate to make the business work.

How did you come into the bookshop business?

When I was younger and in school, I worked in a famous bookshop in Florence: Seeber. Unfortunately, that store is no longer around, but I really enjoyed working there. I finished school, and while I was working as a lawyer, my wife and I started a literary festival in La Spezia during the summers. We did this festival for seven years and through it we made a lot of connections with writers and publishers. The idea of creating a new bookstore in Florence came from this experience. It took us three years to build up our catalogue of books because the titles are not necessarily the popular books you see everywhere. A lot of the time, clients come and suggest books and if I like it i'll buy a couple copies of it.

What is your personal relationship with the city and with the bookstore?

I grew up on the Oltrano side of the river, San Frediano. I always thought that we would open the bookstore over there, but this location, just across the bridge, was perfect for our shop. A lot of our customers still come from that side of the river.

How do you feel about Florence?

Of course I love Florence! Especially in the last two years, independent bookstores are really getting attention here. I think six new independent bookstores have opened (including us) recently, and its really good for our business. I also think that if people get the chance to live in Florence, they can really become a part of the city and get deeper than just the tourist experience.

For me, one of the most important aspects of living and owning a shop in Florence is making connections with other people. For our bar, we always buy produce from the same market because we have good relations with them. Also, there is a new place that sells only art catalogues nearby, and because we have a good relationship with them, we make sure not to sell art catalogues at Todo Modo because we respect their business. These types of connections form a community among the businesses and people of Florence.

Why do you think people come to Florence?

They come because it is one of the most beautiful cities in the world, of course. Also, its very easy to walk everywhere. When people ask me for suggestions for where to go I always tell them just to walk around, not to spend hours inside a museum. There is so much to see around the city.

What are some of your favorite places in Florence?

My favorite place, besides my bookshop, is the area of San Frediano. I really like the atmosphere of the neighborhood. My favorite square there is Piazza Tasso. It has a lot of nice restaurants, there are always people that hang out and play soccer, and my favorite ice cream shop is here.

What reason would you give a student to come to Florence? 

The city is is place that you can really create a relationship with. You can connect with the churches, the  piazzas, the different places, and they will become a part of you. I think if a student could come here for six months or a year, they would really have the chance to become part of the city. It's a wonderful experience.

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Istituto Europeo: Interview with a mysterious Ukrainian singer in Florence

Author: Gayane Simonyan

Walking around in the central part of Florence after 1 pm, you will find Anatoliy and Natalia playing and singing in the streets filling the Florentine air with the sweet sounds of high-class music in different languages.

Natalia and Anatoliy came to Florence from Ukraine. However, their first experience of street singing was in Germany 15 years ago. After staying there for some time, they went back to their country. Seeing that their are not having any success there- street singing is not really welcomed- they decided to try that somewhere else. Not being a fan of huge cities and busy streets, the band decided to move to Florence, which, in their words, is a small, cozy and welcoming city with 370.000 inhabitants- all living as a joint family.

“We got to know each other at the university in Kiev, Ukraine when we were on the last grade. After graduation we started dating and we were both keen on entering the conservatoire but, it was both difficult and expensive and, to be honest, we didn’t have much money,” said Natalia Lopushanska, the singer.

She told that everything started from Anatoliy hearing that people are going abroad, working and earning money there. He decided to give it a try: three months here, three months there. And then he came back and offered Natalia to go with him.

“At first it seemed to be a humiliation to me, I couldn’t imagine myself singing in the streets and living a life like that. He had experience already, but me not. First time in Europe, everything’s new: euro instead of grivno. But then when we started doing that, I could see that people really respect and love you for what you are doing,” said Natalia.

Their main job is singing and playing-they have 2 CDs- but except it they are also working at a restaurant. Natalia is working as a waitress and Anatoliy is, from time to time, playing his accordion there.

“In restaurant you are tied up but we like freedom. I have a mezzo-soprano voice. I can sing Pavarotti - O sole mio, Caruso, Besame mucho, Summertime, etc. Normally I sing in English, Italian, German, French, Ukrainian and Russian. And people are the ones to create our repertoire. Based on their interests and demands and wants, we are searching for songs, copying, learning the music, words and start performing,” said Natalia.

In the beginning it was really hard for her to remember the words especially of Italian songs, but for instance about French songs- she doesn’t speak french, she is just memorizing the words.

“When I sing in English, French people are coming and starting talking to me in English, in French thinking that I speak all of them, but then I have to say sorry but I don’t speak English. The same with the other languages. The thing is that French, Russian, Italian songs I can perform perfectly.” Natalia mentioned.

As for her Italian, it’s conversational- between A2 and B1. When they first came to Italy, they took language courses to be able to communicate and to get to know the accent to sing with.

“People are inviting us to wedding parties: it’s an event normally once in a lifetime and we feel so proud of ourselves when they trust this responsible part to us,” said Natalia.

Natalia and Anatoliy couldn’t forget the story that made them realize that life is not easy in Florence as well, you cannot trust everyone. Before leaving Florence their friends introduced them to a person who then offered them to work for him and give some concerts for New year in Rosetta city in Italy.

“We trusted him because our friends recommended to. So we went there with him, gave 3-4 concerts. But then, in that winter cold he left us somewhere in the street without anything.

We could call police, but we didn’t. His plan worked very well: he earned much money out of the concerts, and just took advantage of the fact that we are without documents, we have nothing here, no one to help us,” said Anatoliy.

Natalia added that it was a good lesson for them. After that she couldn’t sing for a week- she got cold, she had sore-throat.

Anatoliy and Natalia have told that they can’t do that job in every city.

“Of course there are so many Russians in San Marino, we could sing there in Russian but the rules are different there - we can’t play in the street. Here we are a member of a special association where we are all registered, approximately 30 people: musicians, mems. We gather from time to time, talk about our plans, events organized. You can sing without permission but then you might have problems with the police. You need to take permission from comune monthly or annually for 30 euros for each,” summed up Natalia.

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Italian Companies responding to the crisis through hard work and commitment: an interview with Antonella Rossi

(Transcript translated)

Who is Antonella Rossi? Could you tell us about your current company?

Beginning professionally as a tailor in the family, from 1950 in Empoli, in a drapery shop run by Rino Rossi and Anna Fabiani Rossi. Together with my sister Lina, I created my first collection of hand-made and embroidered couture bridal gowns called “AnnaLina”. We use the art of cutting and embroidery; elements that have always characterized the production in the workshop, which is now in its third generation. This is a tailor shop where the search for fabrics, fancy embroidery, love for lace, and the frills and ruffles are the rouches and volants and the key features in the construction of a dress. Be it wedding, cocktail or ceremonial; we use traditions handed down over time, with pride, from mother to daughter.

Today the Antonella Rossi brand is present in many countries. This is with the help of my three daughters, Erika, Anna and Julia. The distribution is in selected, upmarket shops, scattered around Europe, the United States, the Middle East and China. For the more discerning customers, a "tailor one-to-one" service is offered within the customer’s home in every corner of the world.

The workshop, located in a charming building in the heart of Rome, includes a very feminine and glamorous collection, designed for the modern and dynamic woman, committed to work and family. 

Strong points: the lines are wrapped and sexy, using soft and delicate fabrics like jersey and lightweight satin or taffeta, and the Mikado

Can you separate your public and private lives; can you disconnect from work or is it with you 100% of the time?
During working hours, my work absorbs me completely and I am unable to attend to my personal life. In my free time though, I devote myself to my passions: painting, sculpture, music and theatre.

How has your job changed since you started?

I started to work early because I found myself catapulted from morning to evening, having had a significant loss in the family, I tried to follow my way of doing business by associating the concept of art, fashion and culture. The biggest change occurred in the last two years because the aim of my project is to gain visibility abroad and thus open up new markets.

What are the biggest problems in running a business as an entrepreneur?

The main problem is access to credit facilities and European funding: Unfortunately in this society, the entrepreneur is often alone and has to deal with an important sense of responsibility towards people who work for them.  So two aspects: difficulty finding investments for growth and sense of responsibility toward employees.

You've been struck by the "disease of the century." Do you want to talk about this? And especially how it changed your relationship with your work?

Regarding this question my answer is "yes", it has changed my relationship with work, both physically and financially: surely I can testify on both issues that I came out stronger and more determined.

What are the future projects for your company?

The biggest project that I'm pursuing right now is to present the Antonella Rossi brand as a brand of the world.

This question is quite rhetorical but inevitable: that this country needs to become modern? Especially that politicians should?

From my point of view, the way in which the Italian system was brought forward does not work. To improve our country's system we should leverage on what we are good at: tourism, cuisine, the arts, and, last but not least, fashion. Fashion is where I wish to move up to place me in an important position amongst the small and medium enterprises in crafts and ultimately, our story will be… The excellence of MADE IN ITALY.

You live in Rome: how is your relationship with this city? You're not originally from Rome ...

Coming from a situation where one breathes the Tuscan Renaissance, living in Rome means living in a city where the empire is felt in every corner. The best thing to do is to see it again through tourists’ eyes, and then discover the wonders and enjoy all that surrounds me... no wonder it is called the Eternal City

A word of advice to young people who are looking for work

The youth are our future and our hope. I would advise them to study and enter the workforce during university to pursue the goal they have set; always aim high; and that any job will do.