i haven’t been able to get the spring lookbook for Barena Venezia out of my mind since spotting it at Honey Kennedy yesterday. Jen and i were actually swooning over it on twitter too, and we might have gone off on a tangent about bearded men and Roman gods… and bearded men as Roman gods (or in this case, Venetian gods). but please, don’t get side tracked. i need you to focus here.

the name ‘Berena’ comes from the Venetian term ‘baro’ which describes the territory of the Venetian lagoon between the land and water. in ancient times people in the baro traditionally wore versatile and functional clothing since they were farmers, hunters and fisherman – creating a distinctive style unique to the area.

The Barena collection is in fact inspired by the peculiar dress code created and used by the people who lived in these areas. Many of the garments in the collection are the reinterpretation of unique pieces found in museums, antique markets or books that portray old images. In fact, many of the wools specifically reproduced for the Barena collection, come from the archives of the most prestigious mills in Veneto, no longer in activity. Specific focus is given to construction details which make the garments unique in their simplicity.