The Baroque-era architecture of Sicily undulates with elaborately carved facades and exteriors that erupt with myth; symphonies of cherubs, gargoyles, legends that span past eras. Some of these images inspire fear in the hearts of onlookers, and it was this fear that sparked the inspiration for what we now know as the Monya Grana bag brand. “As a child,” says Monya, “my grandfather would take me by the hand as we walked through the streets of the center. I was afraid of the grotesque, animalistic faces that decorated the balconies. I was within their expressions something so real, that I felt as though I were their prey while passing beneath them. But the more I feared, the more intrigued I became, and the more that I fell in love.”
The Monya Grana is a luxury hand bag inspired by the Baroque era. It is a marriage of luxury and Baroque craft style: a romance of Sicily, one of Italy’s prized possessions; the magical land of viceroys. The Monya Grana brand was born out of its owner’s mission to carry a piece of home with her as she travelled around the world. So every piece isn’t just a bag, but a work of art that carries with it culture and charm. It is a reminder that fear can be conquered, inspiring even. We reach out to the talented Monya- tag along as she takes us on a journey through her inspiration.
Spy News Magazine: Tell me about your brand. Where did the idea come from?
MG: The idea was born during one of my many trips abroad, from the desire to bring with me a piece of my wonderful home, its culture and its art. An accessory that would make me feel at home, but at the same time revealed to the world the beauty and the richness of my country.
Spy News Magazine: Tell me about yourself and your professional path.
MG: I was born into a family of entrepreneurs. I followed the family business, but it had nothing to do with fashion. I had only my artistry and passion for style, and a lot of courage. The brand was born in a mature phase of my life… in part, my total lack of experience in the industry and my tenacity to learn more. Over time, I have acquired the necessary experience- with a tremendous amount of effort, studying, and the knowledge that the complex mechanisms of the fashion world are ever-changing. While I have developed the foundation necessary to be a part of the fashion world, I know that I must continue to learn more in order to perfect my style, to give the best to my brand.
Top Model Gigi Thoennes with bag Monya Grana
Spy News Magazine: What are the greatest sources of inspiration for your works?
MG: As a child, my grandfather would take me by the hand as we walked through the streets of the center. I was afraid of the grotesque, animalistic faces that decorated the balconies. I was within their expressions something so real, that I felt as though I were their prey while passing beneath them. But the more I feared, the more intrigued I became, and the more that I fell in love. They have become my source of inspiration. The masks, purely ornaments of Baroque style, date back to the 17th Century: a time of noble carved balconies, bas-relief facades of Sicilian period buildings. The mocking zoomorphic faces born from the imagination of talented artists and stonemasons of the time were meant to avert or undo negative influences.
Spy News Magazine: When I look at your works, I see a person with a conscious mind, a person who is deep. What is your creative process like?
MG: I’m convinced that everything has a soul, a meaning. Thousands are the masks scattered throughout not just Italy, but the world. Each of these masks has a unique expression, character, each hides a different meaning. I continue to carry out extensive research on them, discovering them hidden between arches, on gates and balconies during my many travels. I draw from them inspiration, soften their features, then portray them on my bags.
Actress Jaqueline MacInnes Wood
Spy News Magazine: Who is the woman that wears the Monya Grana Bag, and how do you want her to feel when she carries it?
MG: The brand caters to a woman of Baroque style, who preserves the beauty beyond her own; a woman that desires to rediscover, and reinvent. She treasures the strength and elegance of her own femininity.
Spy News Magazine: You said that you created your brand in order to carry your home with you. Your bags are infused with Sicilian culture, architecture and a strong sense of tradition. How are you leveraging social media to tell the Sicilian story?
MG: Many know Sicily from its geographic beauty, a land full of sun. But few know the depth of its rich culture and history. I am trying to tell precisely this great cultural wealth through my models, in alternating images of my bags with Sicilian landscapes and Baroque architecture. I want this captured in every artifact that is posted: there is a story, something real and alive.
Spy News Magazine: Where can we buy the bags?
MG: Currently, models can be purched in some top stores in Milan (Tiramisu Delishoes), Rome (Aloha), Catania (Helme), Ragusa (F.lli Battaglia), and in Australia in Victoria – Melbourne (Loula), but they can soon be seen in other large Italian cities and abroad, such as the USA, Saudi Arabia, South Korea and . They can also be purchased online, at www.monyagrana.com
