MILAN — An intimate and friendly gathering at the courtyard of the Giacomo Rosticceria restaurant on Thursday marked the collaboration between New York-based brand Hill House Home and Italian footwear label ViBi Venezia.
The two parties have joined forces on a capsule collection of furlane, the traditional Venetian slippers that sisters Vera and Viola Arrivabene have helped gain international recognition for with their ViBi Venezia label.
In between pizza bites, Milanese Mondeghili meatballs and traditional Cannoncini pastries, guests had the chance to get a sneak peek of the new iterations of the brand’s signature slippers and mary jane styles. For this tie-up, the designs were reinterpreted in lightweight canvas and covered in Hill House Home’s distinctive floral patterns, which have contributed to the explosive success of the brand Nell Diamond launched in 2016 and that is best known for its popular Nap dresses.
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Officially dropping on Tuesday, the footwear capsule collection will come in four colorways, in both women’s and children’s sizing. Retailing at prices ranging from 80 euros for children’s styles and 140 euros for women’s ones, the line will be available on both Hill House Home and ViBi Venezia online stores.
The collaboration closely follows Hill House Home’s launch of an event dressing collection earlier this month, as reported.
Serving also as chief executive officer of the brand, Diamond originally founded Hill House Home as a home company, launching online with bedding. The brand quickly expanded into ready-to-wear, accessories, childrenswear, shoes and outerwear. Today fashion accounts for 87 percent of the business and, to date, Hill House Home has sold 1.2 million dresses, which come with an average price point of $210.
The Nap dress has been a hit since it made its debut in 2019, but amid the pandemic, the cult-favorite piece has experienced explosive growth, putting Hill House Home on the fashion map. Despite the garment’s name, the Nap dress isn’t specifically intended for sleep, but is meant as a comfortable option to take the wearer through the day.
The company has five stores and plans to open two more units this year. The stores are in Nantucket, Mass.; Palm Beach; New York; Dallas, and Charleston, S.C. For the brand’s 10-year anniversary in 2026, Diamond plans to do a slew of collaborations and open two or three new stores.
ViBi Venezia marked its 10th anniversary last year. For the occasion it introduced flaming-red flats revisiting mary jane style with a dainty touch through a delicate ribbon rather than the usual strap fastened by a buckle.
It also continued its streak of collaborations with a tie-up with Markarian, which followed in the footsteps of the ones with the likes of Emilia Wickstead, Saloni and Luisa Beccaria, as well as former special editions developed for retailers including Liberty London, Net-a-porter and LuisaViaRoma.
In addition to the wholesale channel and its e-commerce, ViBi Venezia has also a flagship in Milan’s arty Brera district. Opened in 2022, the boutique marked a milestone for the label as its first directly operated brick-and-mortar unit, which carries the whole offering including the signature velvet slippers, as well as different styles crafted from silk and damask fabrics and a kids’ line, among others. In addition, homeware pieces in Murano glass by Giberto Venezia are also available at the store, which was designed to evoke a home rather than a shopping destination.
Retail expansion is in the Arrivabenes plans, too, as they aim to plant a flag in their hometown soon, making their seminal mission of celebrating their roots and supporting local artisans come full circle.
To be sure, since launching ViBi Venezia in 2014, the sisters catapulted a low-key, local footwear style into a global one. Dating back to the 19th century, the furlane was originally produced from leftover fabrics and old tires, becoming a success among gondoliers as the rubber sole allowed them to have a firm grip while rowing without scratching the surface of gondolas.
Wearing the style since childhood, the Arrivabenes were regularly asked by their friends abroad to bring them pairs whenever they met them, so the sisters sensed the demand for the style could have a bigger scale. Over the past decade, they have increasingly expanded the offering, showing variations of the style by experimenting with sportier takes in slip-ons with thicker rubber soles or feminine wedges and platforms.