Nestled in an Old Town courtyard lies an undiscovered treasure. Last year, Yvette Piaggio opened Piaggio's Loft in Norford Court and it may just fill a special niche in Old Town.
Walk into the shop and one's eye is drawn to the craftsmanship of the pillows, table linens, draperies and other hand-crafted items.
"All the textiles in here I've designed," said Piaggio "My focus is custom designing with textiles." Some items Piaggio designs and then has manufactured, like the hand-loomed sweater pillows and cashmere dog sweaters.
The dog sweaters come in several different colors and Piaggio said that they have been very popular. "People have come back for a second one," she said.
Piaggio also sells products that she does not design but that are private labeled for her store. This includes a line of kitchen products — crocks, aprons and mats. She also has an extensive line of smokeless candles that are not found in nearby stores.
The items that are designed by Piaggio and produced in-house are made by seamstress, Noi Armstrong. These tend to be one-of-a-kind items and can be recreated with different fabric and different trim depending on a client's needs.
This answers that dilemma of "I love this, but....." Customers who see a pillow or table runner that they like can have it made in a style that suits their needs.
Carol Dodd recently had some pillows done by Piaggio's Loft. She was walking by the store and the window display caught her eye. She liked one of the pillows and came back with some fabric samples from her newly designed living room.
"The pillows were the piece de resistance — they pulled together all the colors in the room," said Dodd. "It was a small job, but it was fun. I would definitely go back for more."
And herein lies the key to Piaggio's success thus far. "I can do as little or as much as you want," said Piaggio, who has several jobs now waiting for her, one of which is an entire bedroom ensemble. "You can get whatever you want." She is trying to turn all jobs around within two to three weeks.
Working in a cozy workshop setup below the store, Armstrong produces items from two small industrial sewing machines that could compete with a much larger manufacturer.
Design Bug Caught Early
Piaggio has been drawn to design since she was young. Growing up in New Jersey, she began taking courses at the Fashion Institute of Technology in New York even before she could receive credit for the courses.
"Ever since I was in eighth grade, I wanted to be a designer. It's always been a dream of mine to design and to open a business."
Piaggio has attained both goals. After she graduated from high school, she did attend the institute and received her degree in fashion design. When her parents moved to Williamsburg, she and her husband, Gino, decided to move to that area as well.
"My friends thought I was crazy to leave New York," she said. They couldn't imagine how I could leave the center of the fashion industry. Yet, it worked out fine for Piaggio who got a job as a designer for one of the national manufacturers who supplied products for many of the well-known stores, including Nieman-Marcus and Horchows.
After five years, she missed city life so she and her husband moved to Alexandria and found a place in Kingstowne. After looking at various spaces in Old Town for her store, she decided on the space in Norford Court.
Piaggio's contacts with many of the textile mills and manufacturers have paid off and is able to bypass the large minimum quantities usually required to order. Thus, she is able to provide an assortment of products in small quantities.
Piaggio's Loft is located at 309-A Cameron Street (in Norford Ct.). They can be reached at 703-299-9366.