French + Italian boutique owner Aimee Lombardi co-designs her first exclusive—and dazzling—collection with M.Patmos.
SHOW AND TELL Aimee Lombardi named her boutique French + Italian for good reason—after her parents of different international backgrounds. Her customers are nothing less than a squad of style-savvy globetrotters. “They ask a lot of questions: What inspired the designer? Where is the silk from? I’m going to Paris—can you pack me for my trip?” says Lombardi, who opened a Beacon Hill location after the success of her Marblehead mecca. One designer surely to make the suitcase cut is Marcia Patmos of M. Patmos, with whom Lombardi co-designed a capsule travel collection. “I remember buying my first M. Patmos sweater and thinking, ‘Wow, this is such a special piece,’” says Lombardi, who, with Patmos, organized a round-table discussion with their top 15 clients for input. “This is a dream assortment of things that we would love to bring on a trip.” The collection includes a Passport blazer with a Liberty print-lined pocket, a cotton flannel travel pant laced with an Italian tuxedo-style trim, cashmere Henleys and fringed handknit color-pop wraps sure to punch up any transatlantic voyage. The exclusive designs further accent French + Italian’s racks of chicness from Marni, Cedric Charlier and Warm NY, among others. Bon voyage! 119 Charles St., Boston; 129 Washington St., Marblehead, frenchitalian.com –Lexi Friedman