Mariella in her own words

My nostalgic heart leads me to memory paths. I constantly look back at the crucial moments in my life. The ones that brought me where I am today and excavated some wrinkles on my face. 

In 2009, I left my job in Milan as a Credit Analyst in HSBC, and decided it was time for me to head South, where my family and my roots were. I had spent my University Years in Rome studying Business Administration and then from there moved to Milan looking for my place in the world.

But my place was Home and it took me a couple of years to see it. 

Before getting home, I went to Lausanne since I strongly wanted to get a specific knowledge on the Hospitality Industry and embarked the Master in Hospitality Administration at the École hôtelière de Lausanne. It was not the right time for me, bigger events brought me back home sooner than expected and my journey started. 

It all started in 2011, I had been working at the Hotel for about a year and the last General Manager left seeking another opportunity…

I still remember looking at his empty desk, scared like crazy, not really knowing the right choice to make. I knew I could feel a strong fire in me, a desire to make my appearance in the world. It took a week and with the support of my family and the amazing and experienced team, I did jump into the role of Managing Director. It was a big jump indeed. 

I still remember the first months, I was scared, super scared, I was driving a super fancy car, with a just accomplished driving license. 

I decided to face this challenge using the method I had used mainly in my studying life: perseverance, tenacity, studying all I had to learn, never stopping, working endless hours. 

Step by step I shaped my leadership method, leading by example. I was the youngest in the team and facing more experienced members of the team was the most challenging part for me. 

It was tough but they did believe in me and I learnt that creating magic in Hospitality is result of passion, crazy hours working and empathy. Common sense in making decisions plays a big role too. 

Throughout the years, I started to see and vision Palazzo Avino as an open book, my open book where I could write “my magic”. Guests at the Hotel were my readers. 

The journey was an inspiring path where the new identity was shaped, both familiar and international, changing the name from Palazzo Sasso to Palazzo Avino in 2013, redesigning the atmosphere and furnishings of rooms and environments together with my mother. 

Drawing my personal passion for art and design, I created a story full of nuances. Eclectic with a soft and pink touch and a lion as a logo. 

The Hotel started to be a wunderkammer where all I loved was kept and preserved. 

All I love, in the million different shades, from cooking to wine, from art to fashion, and they all come together in my heart and within the walls of the Palace in that kaleidoscope that Palazzo Avino is, between exhibitions and initiatives that interpret the soul and spirit of the place, food and wine wonders at the Chef’s Table and at the Sommelier Table.

I did travel the world to promote the Hotel, my vision, my Pink place, one of a kind in the beauty and in the soul. I found inspirations from every corner of the world I was lucky to touch and experience. And day by day, I learnt the travelling part was a special research source for my vision. After years of crazy working schedules and travelling, I felt very inspired to finally dive deeply into the fashion world, my other passion. 

While traveling promoting the Hotel around the world, I always found time to spend a couple of days enriching my knowledge on the local designers during all my travels.

The best weekends I have memories of are in New York! Following a full week of meetings and business dinners I would immerge my self in crazy and no stop strolling around Manhattan! I always had a list of shop/designers to explore and the best were the ones I could find just following my curiosity. 

Year after year, my closet became a collection of special pieces, souvenirs of my travels, unique pieces reminding me of special places.

So when a former art gallery went into sale opposite the Hotel, I started to dream and dream and yes I made an offer to buy the space not even knowing exactly how I was going to do it but I knew what I wanted: creating a unique shop, a wunderkammer of styles and objects – clothing, but not only – where I could be able to freely express my love for beauty, creating a concept that did not exist on the Amalfi Coast. An eclectic one, full of colors.

The Pink Closet came to life, blending its identity with the Pink Palace, drawing colors into the Pink Walls and taking inspiration from it. They are two very special and unique identity, the one taking inspiration and light from the other. 

Palazzo Avino was, is and will always been for me the essential inspiration for the artist. It is there with the pastel colors, the blend of sea and sky, the dramatic views, the rays of sun into the archs. It is a journey my soul needs. The Pink Closet becomes the Art studio where those soul inspirations could take material form.