Rosapina Carillo tells the 60 years of Abbracciavento Boutique: tradition and future of fashion

From tailor-made tailoring to online boutiques: the story of Abbracciavento Boutique, a journey between timeless elegance, innovation and passion for women’s fashion.

For over 60 years, the Boutique Abbracciavento has been a reference point for women’s fashion in Martina Franca and, thanks to e-commerce, also beyond local and national borders. Founded in 1964 by Maria Abbracciavento, today the shop is run by her daughter Rosapina Carillo, who tells us about the extraordinary history of this boutique, its connection with the territory and the projects for the future. Between tailoring, e-commerce and timeless values, Abbracciavento continues to innovate while maintaining its roots intact.

When was the shop founded and by whom?
The history of Abbracciavento Boutique has its roots in the passion for fashion of Maria Abbracciavento, my mother. Already at 12, in fact, she attended the tailoring workshops, learning to sew and developing a talent that led her to fly to Milan in 1960. During the period of Milan he deepened his skills in various fields, attending courses in modelling, fur and goldsmithing. After a while, the call from home brought her back to Martina Franca, with the firm intention of opening a space where she could express her idea, revolutionary for the time: share with the public the experience of tailor-made tailoring, traditionally only lived in the house, by word of mouth; and, no less, to fully realize his creativity and his dream of independence. Thus, in 1964, the Atelier Parisien was founded, the current Abbracciavento Boutique.

What are the core values of the boutique?
Abbracciavento has always chosen to stand out for its attention to timeless elegance and good tailoring taste. Originally, the shop was a tailor-made clothing store, from coats and suits to wedding dresses and ceremony. Over the years, with the transition to made-in-Italy garments, it has maintained the same commitment to quality, carefully selecting the best of the Made in Italy collections.

Fashion is an art form.

We are also a women’s company: every role, from shop assistants to seamstresses, is filled by women. This spirit is well represented by the business card designed by artist Francesca Cosanti, which celebrates our being a women’s boutique for women.





What were the key moments in the store’s history?
Our history has been marked by moments of growth and transformation, of crisis and rebirth.

From a tailor-made model, who saw my mother in the role of stylist, attentive on the one hand to perceive the tastes and desires of the public, and on the other to coordinate the various dressmakers who would have provided for the packaging of the garments, in the 70s it was decided to switch to the current model of boutiques that sells items made by various brands. From here the trips to the fairs and shows in Milan and Paris, and the choice of samples, to select collections that would

At that moment the Atelier Parisien changes its name to the current one, Boutique Abbracciavento.

Another crucial moment was 2002, with the choice of passing the baton from mother to daughter, a choice that was not at all obvious, since I came from another sector. The renovation of the restaurant has maintained the classic and familiar setting, with double-height mahogany cabinets, the original 1960s, which have certainly characterized this boutique over time, along with the ceiling paintings.

Then, the launch of e-commerce in 2014 marked the beginning of a new era, bringing our values and products throughout Italy and the world.







What innovations have you introduced over the years?
In 2003 we launched our first website, a simple showcase model. But in 2014 we made the leap into the world of e-commerce, offering a dedicated online shopping experience that maintains the same warmth and attention to customers as the physical store.

Another key aspect was the choice of the curvy world, to be added to regular sizes, in order to meet the growing demand for beautiful and colorful garments even in sizes over 50. We have thus expanded our proposal, becoming a reference point for those looking for sparkling fashion, young and quality for all silhouettes.

Then in winter, stand out the rich, large and exclusive collection of fine wool knitwear, a group of refined companies made in Italy that is a real explosion of colors and styles that exceed the classic stereotypes for women more flesh.

Very often we help our customers to change their look, to meet the needs that they feel they want to express themselves, just a small push.

How has the customer relationship evolved?

Our customers are always at the heart of our choice. At local level, we normally cover a radius of more than 50 km. The discourse expands in summer, on one side with a tourist audience looking for the real Italian manufacture, with that mix of quality and design that all the world envies us; On the other hand with the ceremonial speech, as we offer elegant dresses ranging from birthday parties to weddings, of course for all ages, styles and sizes.

With the online we reached customers from all over Italy and beyond.

Pre and post sales support is fundamental for us: through social media, WhatsApp and the phone, we offer personalized advice and establish relationships of trust. It’s wonderful how, even from a distance, we can learn about our customers' tastes and preferences, creating a unique bond that goes beyond the simple purchase.

The daily presence on the main social networks (Facebook, Instagram, Youtube and TikTok) allows us to show ourselves to the public of the internet and not only how we are and what we do, our values, and also tell us through our small daily adventures.

What are the key milestones that the store has achieved?
Celebrating 60 years of business and 10 years of e-commerce was exciting. We celebrated with a special event: the reopening of the store, completely renovated to offer a modern and welcoming shopping experience.

My wish has come true: to make the internet a more human place.

We have introduced a maxi screen to connect the physical store to the virtual one, because now the online and offline experience are complementary, offering customers even easier access to our collection. The celebrations have also involved our online customers, thanks to the live social media and we got incredible feedback that fills our hearts with gratitude.

What are your future plans?

The future of Abbracciavento is about connecting online and offline. We believe that the physical store will never go out of fashion: shops beautify cities, illuminate the streets and create that relaxing movement that gives pleasure to those who go shopping, to buy or simply to walk. It also remains irreplaceable for human contact, chatter between friends and additional services, such as the customization of garments through sartorial modifications. At the same time, we want to continue developing e-commerce as an extension of the store, a virtual showcase open 24/7 that allows customers to explore our collections wherever they are. Our goal is to continue doing what we love: telling stories through fashion and making the women who choose Abbracciavento happy. Abbracciavento Boutique is not just a fashion store: it’s a story of passion, tradition and innovation. In 60 years, it has evolved without ever losing sight of its values, offering women a unique shopping experience, both in boutiques and online. If you haven’t already done so, come and discover our world on www.abbracciavento.eu or visit us in Martina Franca: we are ready to welcome you with a smile and lots of ideas for your style!