………………………For twenty four years, three to four times a year, I traveled to Italy. I traveled from the north to the south and in between, creating fabrics, knit wear and shoes for Anne Klein. I was based in Florence when I was creating the knit wear collection. Not a shabby place to hang one’s hat for two weeks at a time. I stayed at the Grand Hotel on the Arno River…..It was Paradise. On my day off I always went to the Uffizi Gallery to look at the paintings. One of my absolute favorites was Botticelli’s “Birth Of Venus”…. It depicts this amazing Goddess emerging from this beautiful shell. The colors in the painting were used for my Venus shell. Over the years I used every inch of this painting as a source of inspiration. The “VENUS SHELL PENDANT” is my latest creation to “emerge” from this source of loveliness………………………………enjoy………………much Love………………………..Louis
Dear Louis, we share your love of Florence, and who wouldn’t?! The Grand Hotel is now The St. Regis, and one of our favorite hotels ever. On our first visit to the The Uffizi, I told our guide that The Birth of Venus was my “must see” for the day, and I just sat in wonder before her. Thanks for sharing your memories. We all love them!