WHY DO YOU LIKE AND COLLECT MATCHES?
I remember traveling with my family; my mother would always pick up a matchbox from every location we visited, which passed on to me. I started collecting matches as a child because of the intriguing, beautiful boxes, every box was different (the colors, the prints, the sparkle), and it made it so much fun. I would think of them as little treasures, each one celebrating a memory or adventure previously lived.
WHAT ARE YOUR FAVORITE ONES AND WHY?
Unfortunately, due to covid, I don't have my entire collection with me. I'm in the midst of moving, and some are still boxed up. Still, one of my favorite matchboxes is definitely @smokingjacket.london. Smoking Jacket is an incredible young brand founded by my close friend Chiara di Carcaci; she designs super chic cigarette cases adorned with prints, embroidered zodiac signs that can match all your outfits and make for great conversation starters just by taking it out of your bag (just like cool matchboxes). @pierluigiroma is an incredible restaurant in the heart of Rome, best known for its great scampi. My family has been going there for generations, as a result, it has to be a staple in my collection. One of my all-time favorites, of course, is still neatly packed away in a box. The @boutique_raya matchbox holds a special place in my heart, as it really captures my childhood. I spent there every summer since I was a baby. Raya is a Hotel, Boutique, Antique shop, bar, and nightclub; Panarea is a small eolian island that is the home to Raya, which has in every way shaped me today. Panarea saw me through it all, the good and the bad. The Raya logo is a blue stingray, symbolically tattooed on the back of my neck. Last but not least, my most sought-after piece and the one everyone tries to steal is the API petrol 1960s matchbox given to me (stolen) from my grandfather. It's beautiful; it says "con API si vola" literal translation "with bees we fly."
WHEN AND HOW DO YOU LIKE TO ENJOY YOUR MATCHES?
I usually use my favorite matches only for special occasions like birthdays and Me time because I couldn't bear the thought of ruining them too much; I might sound neurotic. I keep my matches beautifully stacked in a wood tortoise box in the living room, which leads me to use my matches while lighting a cigarette occasionally, relaxing, and meditating with candles.
