Elif Sallorenzo and Her Boundless Artisanal Cornucopia

ELIF SALLORENZO LOVES VIA DELL’OCA

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Tucked away on the quiet and magical Via dell’Oca just a few steps away from Piazza del Popolo in Rome is Artisanal Cornucopia, a treasure of an independent boutique owned and created by Elif Sallorenzo. Created I say because as soon as you enter, you’ve found yourself in the whimsical mind of Elif whose intense passion for design has brought her from Istanbul to Rome, with a few other metropolis in between..

A few years back, I met Elif Sallorenzo when I was aimlessly walking down via dell’Oca. It was dusk and I was transfixed by the glow from her window display and then captivated by the particularity of the handbags and shoes, and the art on the walls. Elif invited me inside and I entered a world of fashion collectibles, handcrafted bags, art, shoes with an intent focus on emerging designers.

Like a cornucopia, her boutique keeps on giving- sometimes hints at the future (like the upcoming designers) and sometimes hints at her past lives. Past lives?? Yep. A peripatetic diplomat’s daughter, Elif lived around the world- Strasbourg, New York, Berlin, London, Fiesole, Ankara, Oslo and Bergamo before settling in Rome. While in New York and Bergamo, she hosted sample sales and showcases, introducing a cornucopia of style innovators – like Edgardo Osorio of Aquazzura – to the scene. When she move to Rome, she knew she wanted something brick-and-mortar, a permanent home to unleash her finds. Artisanal Cornucopia opened it doors of No. 38 via dell’Oca.

In this episode, Elif and I talk about her origin story, her design inspirations and the magic of Via dell’Oca and Rome.

“Every product is here for a reason. Whether it’s the detail or the, craftsmanship or the originality, or the center of the candle or the fragrance, it has just for one reason or another caught me.”