It all started with a mother who, in the seventies, had her skirts shortened or lengthened, according to the period, to keep up with fashion.
This is how Elisabetta Vedovi, although she did not know it, was educating her daughters about the sense of beauty.
"Beauty is learned by osmosis," says Sabrina Tosini, one of the two daughters who today manages "La Bottega di Nonna Betta" in via Colleoni in the Upper Town, and whom we met together with the Urban District of Commerce.
"She was a great mum," she continues, "and she would have been a great grandmother too."
Elisabetta never met her grandchildren, but since 2004, thanks to the opening of the shop, she is a bit of a grandmother to everyone.
Initially "Nonna Betta" made few items on request and received customers by appointment only. Sabrina, after graduating in foreign languages and literatures, found herself in the fashion world by chance, first pushed and accompanied by her sister Patrizia (with whom she had opened the shop), then on her own.
"I created a job that I thought I would like," she says proudly, and adds: "Today I'm Nonna Betta."
It is in fact Sabrina who designs and finishes every single garment, handcrafted by the expert hands of Bergamasco knitters, with the precious Loro Piana yarns including beloved cashmere, silk and linen. But it is not only the high quality of the materials and the fact that they are zero kilometre that characterise this small shop. Direct contact with the consumer, product customisation and customer satisfaction, have always been essential points for her profession.
"It takes a lot of passion, it takes a lot of love."
And it is precisely the passion and love for knitwear that shines in Sabrina's eyes. She speaks of her garments almost as if they were children. She writes each of their labels by hand (which say, in fact, "created with love"). She prepares the colourful shop window, that is impossible not to stop at look at.
There is a meticulous attention to detail behind her work, a maternal care, an innate aesthetic sense.
"Of course, what is beautiful is not beautiful, but what you like is beautiful, it is true," she admits. "But there is beauty."
And this place is permeated by it. Now "La Bottega" is a shop in all respects. Customers enter freely to take a look, or in search of advice, or to have some clothes patched up. There are also those who come with their "Linus blanket", a favourite garment, now too small or too ruined, hoping to be able to wear it again with the help of Nonna Betta. Sabrina takes care of everyone with commitment and discretion, far from that annoying insistence that characterises some of the shop assistants at many large clothing chains.
“I never push for a customer to buy. I prefer that they leave empty-handed and with the desire to return the next time, rather than spend on something that does not convince them.”
This is a winning strategy demonstrated by regular customers, those who come in to ask for the new catalogue, those who come from Switzerland, Germany, America, Australia, and, after discovering "Nonna Betta", they usually ask to be sent what’s new each season. Or those who send Sabrina photos taken in the store, those who rely on her to know which colours are in fashion this season.
While we are chatting, she is interrupted several times by people coming to the door to say hello, those who want to try on a skirt for an important occasion, or who want to buy a pair of earrings (also handmade and made in Italy). There are people who ask if there is something new "that I could like" - because Sabrina knows exactly what you could like.
"There are also those who pass by at aperitif time just to have a chat", she says laughing.
In a few years Sabrina dreams of passing on the baton, leaving her place in the shop to her two daughters, “so I can go to the workshop to weave”. If my mum was alive, she would also be here, without a doubt".
Before saying goodbye, we ask the question that has been on our lips during the whole meeting: how do you wash cashmere?
In the washing machine, wool cycle, very little detergent and no fabric softener.
The mystery is solved: thank you, Nonna Betta.
It all started with a mother who, in the seventies, had her skirts shortened or lengthened, according to the period, to keep up with fashion.
This is how Elisabetta Vedovi, although she did not know it, was educating her daughters about the sense of beauty.
"Beauty is learned by osmosis," says Sabrina Tosini, one of the two daughters who today manages "La Bottega di Nonna Betta" in via Colleoni in the Upper Town, and whom we met together with the Urban District of Commerce.
"She was a great mum," she continues, "and she would have been a great grandmother too."
Elisabetta never met her grandchildren, but since 2004, thanks to the opening of the shop, she is a bit of a grandmother to everyone.
Initially "Nonna Betta" made few items on request and received customers by appointment only. Sabrina, after graduating in foreign languages and literatures, found herself in the fashion world by chance, first pushed and accompanied by her sister Patrizia (with whom she had opened the shop), then on her own.
"I created a job that I thought I would like," she says proudly, and adds: "Today I'm Nonna Betta."
It is in fact Sabrina who designs and finishes every single garment, handcrafted by the expert hands of Bergamasco knitters, with the precious Loro Piana yarns including beloved cashmere, silk and linen. But it is not only the high quality of the materials and the fact that they are zero kilometre that characterise this small shop. Direct contact with the consumer, product customisation and customer satisfaction, have always been essential points for her profession.
"It takes a lot of passion, it takes a lot of love."
And it is precisely the passion and love for knitwear that shines in Sabrina's eyes. She speaks of her garments almost as if they were children. She writes each of their labels by hand (which say, in fact, "created with love"). She prepares the colourful shop window, that is impossible not to stop at look at.
There is a meticulous attention to detail behind her work, a maternal care, an innate aesthetic sense.
"Of course, what is beautiful is not beautiful, but what you like is beautiful, it is true," she admits. "But there is beauty."
And this place is permeated by it. Now "La Bottega" is a shop in all respects. Customers enter freely to take a look, or in search of advice, or to have some clothes patched up. There are also those who come with their "Linus blanket", a favourite garment, now too small or too ruined, hoping to be able to wear it again with the help of Nonna Betta. Sabrina takes care of everyone with commitment and discretion, far from that annoying insistence that characterises some of the shop assistants at many large clothing chains.
“I never push for a customer to buy. I prefer that they leave empty-handed and with the desire to return the next time, rather than spend on something that does not convince them.”
This is a winning strategy demonstrated by regular customers, those who come in to ask for the new catalogue, those who come from Switzerland, Germany, America, Australia, and, after discovering "Nonna Betta", they usually ask to be sent what’s new each season. Or those who send Sabrina photos taken in the store, those who rely on her to know which colours are in fashion this season.
While we are chatting, she is interrupted several times by people coming to the door to say hello, those who want to try on a skirt for an important occasion, or who want to buy a pair of earrings (also handmade and made in Italy). There are people who ask if there is something new "that I could like" - because Sabrina knows exactly what you could like.
"There are also those who pass by at aperitif time just to have a chat", she says laughing.
In a few years Sabrina dreams of passing on the baton, leaving her place in the shop to her two daughters, “so I can go to the workshop to weave”. If my mum was alive, she would also be here, without a doubt".
Before saying goodbye, we ask the question that has been on our lips during the whole meeting: how do you wash cashmere?
In the washing machine, wool cycle, very little detergent and no fabric softener.
The mystery is solved: thank you, Nonna Betta.
