A Roman Holiday with Soledad Twombly

Soledad Twombly likes to say she was “born in Argentina and raised in the world.” After years in Buenos Aires and New York, it was Rome that captured her imagination and where she set up her atelier. Today, her boutique L’Archivio di Monserrato is a must-visit on any fashionista’s Grand Tour. Soledad’s love for fashion, design, and sustainability are surpassed perhaps only by her love for her adopted city—and be sure to read on for her picks for the perfect Roman holiday below.

We spoke with the designer about her international inspirations, her passion for sustainability, and her favorite city in the world. Read on to see what she had to say, and be sure to shop her chic curation of Italian-inspired Chairish favorites.

You’ve lived all around the world, first in Buenos Aires, then New York, then Rome. How has this international experience affected your taste in interiors? What are your go-to design techniques?

I like to create a sense of space even in small rooms. I like to place furniture close to the walls to leave space in the center of the room—almost like an improvised ballroom.

Are there other places in the world that have had a particularly strong influence on your sense of style?

My family moved to Turin in the late ‘70s. The contemporary art there caught my eye, even as a little girl, which inspired my passion for mixing ideas from different eras.

Does your fashion aesthetic influence your taste in interiors, and are they reflective of each other? How are they similar and how do they differ?

It is all the same aesthetic impulse. My clothes have to look just as good hanging on an armchair as they do on a rack, and my interiors have to set the proper scene for the clothes.

Your store L’Archivio di Monserrato is a unique kind of boutique experience in Rome… it’s almost like shopping selections in someone’s home. Tell us about that.

After visiting the space before it opened in 2018, a dear friend said it looked like an archive of everything I’ve collected over the years. It is like visiting a home, and its aim is to inspire customers to dare.

How has your aesthetic sensibility evolved over your time as a designer, both of interiors and fashion? Are there things you do now — or pieces you gravitate toward now — that you never thought you would at the beginning of your career?

I often think about this. And yes, I have actually become more comfort-oriented in both fields. I took it as a challenge to keep aesthetics elevated and yet make things that are practical, wearable, and livable.

You’re particularly drawn to beautiful textiles, both in fashion and in interiors. Where do you think this comes from, and how does this play out in your work?

I use textiles to create a garment or a room. An empty white wall and an intriguing fabric that will define the look are all I need to get started. After that, I like to use furniture that is already available—I am a serious recycler!

What’s something you’d still love to accomplish in the world of design? What’s next?

I want to keep working only with pieces that already exist. To keep using my imagination and creativity to make beautiful things sustainably and responsibly.

Tell us more about how sustainability factors into your design choices and love of vintage furnishings.

It has been my aim since I began my business in New York in the mid-90’s: eco-sustainable fashion and decor. There is a lot you can do with already-existing objects, and there are amny ways to update things without losing their antique flavor.

Are there any dream vintage/antique “gets” you wish you could have? 

A lit d’Ange from Marie Antoinette, from the 18th century

Some Favorites in Rome:

Where’s the best shopping for home decor?

For furnishings as well as accessories for the home, concentrate on three streets: Via di Ripetta, Via dei Coronari, and Via Monserrato. That’s where you’ll find the chicest shops.

What’s something every visitor to Rome should see or do?

Go to Villa Aurelia, part of the American Academy in Rome, and get a mindblowing view of the city from the terrace. It’s unparalleled, no matter how many times you’ve been there.

What’s your favorite place to dine in Rome?

In the winter, Nino—it’s a classic. In all other seasons, dine outside any restaurant on a Roman square. My favorites are Osteria der Belli in Trastevere, Piperno in the Ghetto di Roma, and Pierluigi in the Piazza de Ricci.

Where is the best nightlife in Rome?

There are so many places to go in the Campo de’ Fiori area and Trastevere, or alternatively, Pigneto and San Lorenzo.

Where can people see the best art in Rome?

Everywhere! It depends on what you want to see — there’s something for every taste. For Roman ruins, Fori Imperiali. For Byzantine art, Chiesa di Santa Prassede. For Renaissance art, Piazza Farnese, Palazzo Spada, and Palazzo Doria Pamphilj. Contemporary art at the MAXXI Museum and the Galleria Nazionale d’Arte Moderna.

If there were a scent that best embodied Rome, what would it be?

Orange flowers and maritime pine trees

What are three words that best describe Rome?

Unique, aesthetic, exuberant 

Some Design Favorites:

Favorite way to create a statement-making moment in a room:

A centrally placed chandelier, ideally an early 1920’s piece in Murano glass

Favorite decorating “cheap thrill:”

Brown paper bags filled with salt to recreate candle light 

Favorite iconic piece of vintage design:

A Le Corbusier chaise longue

Favorite piece of decor in your home: 

A tall six-panel screen painted by my husband, Alessandro Twombly

Favorite style icon:

Mick Jagger!

Design destination every creative should visit at least once:

Chicago, for the architecture

Best piece of career advice you’ve ever received:

Don’t try to match anything—just trust your taste.

Some Lifestyle Favorites:

Favorite vacation destination:

Patagonia

Favorite hotel that’s inspired your work while traveling:

Rambagh Palace, Jaipur

Favorite restaurant:

La Huella in Jose Ignacio, Uraguay 

Favorite small museum:

Museo Spada in Rome

Favorite podcast:

Literary Friction

Favorite hostess (or thank you) gift:

A beautiful box 

Favorite flower:

Peonies

Favorite adult beverage:

Negroni

Favorite way to unwind at home:

Listening to music

Lead image: Alessandro Vasari