Today we visited the Mantero Silk company in the morning in nearby Como. Mantero is the company I was responsible for researching in our pre-departure meetings so it was very cool to finally see the company in person. First, we saw the open workspace that all the designers used to create new patterns for scarves, ties, and other similar wearables. I was not allowed to take pictures but trust me when I say that it looked like a great place to work if you are a creative person who enjoys collaborating with colleagues. Then we were taken to the factory where dyes, colors, and prints were applied to the silk. I was able to see designs and colors not yet available in stores and look at how the new products are created. I am not allowed to give details but I was surprised by the process the products undergo before they hit the shelves of stores worldwide. At the end of the tour we had the opportunity to browse Mantero‘s souvenir shop. I decided to buy a light orange tie which I am very excited about because it will always remind me of the time I spent learning about the details of the manufacturing process for high fashion silk pieces.

Later, we drove a short distance to Lake Como and took part in a brief walking tour and a very beautiful boat tour. The tour was unfortunately hampered by the dreadful cold rain which persisted relentlessly. My favorite part of the walking tour was looking at two houses which have not been altered since the 15th century. As for the boat tour, my favorite part was seeing George Clooney’s villa which sits right against the lake. Even the heavy rain could not suppress the beauty of the houses carved into the cliffs and the enormous estates which dominated the lakefront. 

To end the night my friends and I decided to stay in the hotel and rest because the weather was terrible and we were all still tired from our previous events. We knew that getting rest was important because we had an especially interesting company visit planned for tomorrow.