In 1457 Francesco Sforza entrusted Bertola from Novate to build the Martesana Canal. In just 35 years, from 1439 to 1475, 90 kilometers of navigable channels were built in the Milan area, made by the presence of 25 locks. A record that no other city can ever bring. Development of the system, however, did not stop only at this point, in fact, with the arrival of Leonardo in 1482, the Martesana was completed and a new system of canals started to be set up, allowing navigation from Valtellina to Milan.
The Martesana, where I am today, remained active throughout the nineteenth century as a transport route, both as a regular passenger service, as well as an intense commercial traffic way. In 1805 the Naviglio Pavese construction was completed , making true the Milan citizens dream since centuries: reaching the sea via the canal of Pavia and the Po, the Maggiore Lake through the Naviglio Grande and the Ticino, the Como Lake through the Martesana canal and the Adda river.
These inland wonders that made Milan a city of water, let me, for a while, thinking back nostalgically to the grace and elegance of the past times. I refer not so much to clothing, but to the courteous and kind manners at that time.
Grace is not a direct result of good manners, as well as elegance is not defined exclusively by a meticulous attention to get dressed well, but both compose the sophistication of an individual, as the result of an internal euphony reflecting in the environment. The sense of beauty is not only an aesthetic attitude and an outward appearance, but it is also love for elegant manners, for the beauty of relations, for the education of behaviors. Politeness is a virtue that not only must be taught, but can also be learned and improved with exercise. Among other things, it's proven that being courteous and kind is contagious, and therefore leads to positive results all around.
Today I'm wearing a blue Dior debardeur, assembling a geometric and asymmetric line together, a very versatile and fresh piece, already inspiring Spring time. I combined it with a silk shirt having my embroidered initials in front, in flowers pink and blue, colors which match the dress and the accessories: the brand new pink "J'adiore", the pink paired Dior bag, and the ring with blue seal, Dior, bien sûr!
A smile, a nice word, an act of politeness, a note handwritten with heart when one has to express deepest thoughts, a bouquet of flowers, they all may be the solution for so many misunderstandings that our hectic life every now and then presents to us, helping us to see a bit deeper into people and situations.
What is essential is invisible to the eye - Antoine de Saint-Exupéry
