Hey Creatives : Danilo Ceri

Danilo Ceri, founder and creative director of Ceri Vintage di Firenze and Opera Opera Hong Kong.

The vintage clothing collector definitely has a good eye for spotting those with value among the torn and worn. Military and work wear are the main of his collection. Raw and rough as they can be, the masculinity is somehow toned down by the pretty velvet and Victorian lace cut-out top that surround. Danilo admits his soft spot for the delicate Victoria era and the glamorous 50s. His style proves to be consistent: his Hong Kong outpost, Opera Opera, is decorated with just the same mix: a trunk hanger displaying feminine lace tops, and down under are Sergio Rossi strap sandals and fellow handmade Pippi shoes lying quietly, yet none can take the shine of the other. In person, Danilo is warm and welcoming in spite of his husky physique. An act of friendliness like a pat on your forearm was often shown to ease it up. Let's not forget the unreserved sharing of his life and ideas on the first meet, Danilo surely knows the trick to draw people close with an unexpected tinge of innocence.

Pitti Uomo, mini fashion shows, in-store parties and more to come, Danilo is constantly working on the transformation from collecting whatever is adorable to presenting them in a fashionably appealing way. The base in Florence, Ceri Vintage, has been proceeding from a goodies paradise to a brand that possesses a solid customer base and tight customer association. It is ready to go all the way up the uneasy and obsoleting ladder of the fashion world.

For a person who seeks to diversify, stability and routine are not the end. This time last year, Danilo expanded Ceri overseas by opening an outpost in Hong Kong, the gem-filled Gough Street store ‘Opera Opera'. The word 'Opera' in Italian can be associated to Opera d’arte (masterpiece) and mano opera (handmade), with reduplication to add appeal to Chinese, whose language adopts repetition for something adorable, like a fluffy puppy or a chubby baby. Indeed the brush stroke that dots in the eyes: expect handcrafted leather shoes made in Florence, Victorian fringy cape, even a genuine gown that belonged to a Spanish royal guard in the 19th century. Surprises are guaranteed to be pleasant in Opera Opera.

To Danilo, vintage items are not just great for display or to brag about, but for the fact that their forms, or their pure existence that has gone through history, are often found inspiring. They speak to those who are highly original and transfer the energy they encompass in the most subtly beautiful way. The store in Florence, Ceri Vintage, has been the place of inspiration to many Italian designers over the years, and this is exactly the source of happiness to Danilo. How precious is the awareness of the value of something that would otherwise be forgotten by time, not to mention the aspiration to display their intrinsic beauty - isn't it like the somebody in your life who loves you for who you are, but not only how you appear to be?

We all want that somebody, or that piece of afflatus in life.