Avant-garde store conjurs up some exciting surprises
There are multifarious reasons to visit Venice – the beauty of the Grand Canal, immortalised by Caneletto, Guardi and other notable painters: the illustrious La Fenice, the opera house intricately woven with Venice’s past, and the splendour of Basilica San Marco, a noble reminder of the city’s Byzantine connection. The amazing history of this region moves inland as well. Creating its own modern day legend is In A White Box, an electric, avant-garde optical boutique in Strà, 30km from Venice. Situated on the gracious Brenta Canal, and fabled for the luxurious Villa Pisani, with its Tiepolo-frescoed ceiling, the town was selected by In A White Box founder, Nico Vettore so as “to enter into a new way of conceiving optics.” This Vettore has accomplished – with a highly original boutique all in white that serves as a backdrop and art form for the 110 square metre shop. The interior is a blank canvas, where frames become precious objects for customers to admire and try on. You may find frames decorously strewn atop a hard-back chair that is swathed in a white sheet. The concept of “surprise” is evident in the surroundings as well as the crème de la crème of eyewear designers – including Oliver Goldsmith, Blue Magic Eye, Dita, Ic! Berlin, Orgreen, Mykita, and Belgian designer Martin Margiela.
If you are in the Venice area, take a side trip to visit this fresh and imaginative optical boutique. The magic of Venice continues inland! JG
