Designer Marie Louise Sciò’s childhood reads a lot like Eloise-meets-La Dolce Vita. Her parents owned Tuscany’s storied Il Pellicano hotel, which played host to everyone from the Casiraghis to the Fendis and Missonis (and it’s one of Tory’s favorites). Now a Rome-based architect and interior designer, Sciò has put her own stamp on the place: She remodeled the rooms and wrote a book about it. Here, she gives us an insider view.
- My fondest childhood memory of Il Pellicano is…
I remember as if it was yesterday the gala dinners my parents organized around the candle-lit swimming pool overlooking the sea. Everyone was so chic, men wore seersucker suits and women wore long beautiful gowns and turbans. I was too young to attend so my brother Roberto and I used to hide in the bushes and spy on these magical evenings!
- The best advice my parents gave me is…
To believe in myself and never follow the crowd.
- My favorite spot at the hotel is…
The pool bar.
- My favorite meal at the hotel is…
Squid ink risotto and the lamb at the two-star Michelin restaurant. At the Pelligrill restaurant, my favorite is the papa al pomodoro and the grilled octopus with puree.
- The current project I’m most excited about is…
A cookbook but I can’t say too much about just yet!
- My design obsession is…
Love bathrooms and great closets.
- My favorite blog is…
Dissonanze, a music blog.
- My definition of glamour is…
A combination of style and culture. For me, glamour is my mother — understated, always chic and incredibly interesting.
- My charity is…