From The Straits Times    |

I haven’t been to Firenze – Florence, for the non-Italian speaking people – since I was a kid being dragged around Europe by my parents and honestly, I remember nothing except sore feet, lots of stone and gelato.

blog luisaviaroma firenze4ever FLORENCE DAY duomoblog luisaviaroma firenze4ever FLORENCE DAY coffee
Firenze, the sky really is that blue … #nofilter (above top) and my first Italian espresso with biscotti (above). Images: Niki Bruce

Now, however, I’m back in the birthplace of the Renaissance; home of the infamous Medici family and, more importantly, home to one of Europe’s most exciting shopping experiences, LuisaViaRoma.

Better known in Asia for its online shopping portal luisaviaroma.com, a source for cutting-edge brands curated with an elegant mix of the best of Italian and European fashion, the organisation also has a couple of physical stores in its hometown of Florence.

Known in fashion industry circles for its brilliant, often nuts, store displays, LuisaViaRoma holds annual events for international online fashion media for every season, the Firenze4Ever weekend of collection previews and styling “labs”.

And this year, for the very first time, herworldPLUS was lucky enough to be invited alongside popular fashion bloggers whose “handles” you’re sure to recognise … Bryanboy, BagSnob, China fashion superstar BoyNam, Fashion Salade, former model Charlotte Collard, Gary Pepper Girl, Fabsugar, The Blonde Salad and The Coveteur, among others.

blog luisaviaroma firenze4ever FLORENCE DAY bryanboyFamous blogger Bryanboy stylin’ at LuisaViaRoma store for Firenze4Ever event.
Image: Niki Bruce

On the first day everyone met up at the re-styled LuisaViaRoma store – they redo it for every season based on a particular theme; this one’s is “Punk, Rock, Grunge … Firenze4Ever on Stage” – before heading to the amazing Villa Le Corti outside the city, owned by an actual Italian Prince, the Principe Corsini, for a stunning Italian meal of fresh, organic produce grown on the villa’s estate.

blog luisaviaroma firenze4ever FLORENCE DAY storePart of the amazing store installations at LuisaViaRoma for Firenze4Ever on Stage Autumn Winter 2013-14 collections. Image: Niki Bruce

Check out more photos below and stay tuned for the first day of styling at the LuisaViaRoma store.

blog luisaviaroma firenze4ever FLORENCE DAY scootersCity of scooters; Florence, Italy. Image: Niki Bruce

blog luisaviaroma firenze4ever FLORENCE DAY Prince Corsini
blog luisaviaroma firenze4ever FLORENCE DAY bloggers villa
The amazing Villa Le Corti: Principe Corsini crest (above top) and the LuisaViaRoma Firenz4Ever bloggers at work and play (above). Images: Niki Bruce

blog luisaviaroma firenze4ever FLORENCE DAY 1 food
blog luisaviaroma firenze4ever FLORENCE DAY food 2
Food, wonderful food: The organic produced at Villa Le Corti was turned into a series of mouth-watering meals for the LuisaViaRoma dinner for the opening of Firenze4Ever on Stage fashion and blogging event. Images: Niki Bruce

For more information about Firenze4Ever by LuisaViaRoma, go to www.luisaviaroma.com/firenze4ever-7th-edition. Shop luisaviaroma.com, www.luisaviaroma.com; follow the store on Facebook at www.facebook.com/luisaviaroma.lvr, on Twitter at @LuisaViaRoma, on Instagram at @luisaviaroma, on Pinterest at pinterest.com/luisaviaroma and on Google+. For more information about the Villa di Corti and the Principe Corsini family, go to www.principecorsini.com/en.