Late last month, Assouline held a tantalising launch party for the luxury book publisher’s latest release, Venetian Chic, written by art connoisseur, interior designer, and hotelier Francesca Bortolotto Possati.
The exorbitant celebration, which was hosted at the upscale Plaza Hotel, was swarming with New York City’s most esteemed residents, including Massimo Ferragamo (the youngest son of legendary shoemaker Salvatore Ferragamo) and notable photographer Priscilla Rattazzi.
The author, Possati, is an expert in the intricacies of Venice, as well as the city’s isolated garden islands, breathtakingly decadent boutiques and mouthwatering spreads of cicheti (Venetian tapas). A native of Venice, Possati’s graceful narrative takes the reader on a journey of exclusivity and beauty, and explores the unknown and unheard opulent corners of a destination that has already been so thoroughly examined.
Aristocratic secrets and tales about discreet rendezvous seep from this magnificent city’s grandiose facades. Brimming with history and stories untold, the discerning eye of Australian-born photographer Robyn Lea, coupled with a sentimental foreword by British actor Jeremy Irons, perfectly complements this handsome volume.
As the latter fondly explains, “Venice has welcomed me on a few fine occasions and left me with a multitude of plangent memories; Listening to the oh-so-limited repertoire of the gondoliers. Discovering the hidden life and the hidden palazzos and churches. Revelling in this ancient place that refuses to change.”
