To live in Naples and as an expat is for me an incredible opportunity for discovery. I read all the books by Italian authors that come my way. I "Shazam" all the Italian songs I like on the radio. And it's the same with food.
But recently, I have had the great opportunity to learn more about the treasures small shops in Naples have to offer. This is all thanks to my new friend Heris (a Canadian soldier on the NATO base) who, in his professional life, is serious and disciplined, as his job requires, but once he put down his uniform, lives his passion for fashion. Heris is Congolese.
In this country, fashion has been elevated near the status of religion. It is, in fact, the "KITENDI" religion (Kitenti means fabric or material). This fashion also has another name: ''SAPE''. SAPE means ‘’Société des Ambianceurs et des Personnes Élégantes’’ (Society of Posers and Elegant People). To be a sapper you must, among other things, wear the great couturiers: Versace, Dolce & Gabbana, Armani. When I met Heris while visiting the NATO base with my spouse, he told me he was from the Democratic Republic of Congo. Since I knew about the SAPE phenomenon, I asked him point-blank: are you a "Congolese sapper" by any chance? He was completely blown away by my question and answered enthusiastically: Yes! And you know that? I then made him promise to take me shopping with him. I'm not the only one too. Other Canadians and even members of the military have asked him for this favor.
One Saturday morning, we left together for Garibaldi Square. This is a long way from the fancy boulevards. There, you are in the invisible realm of great bargains. In spite of the rain falling, Heris was dressed like a ‘’carte de mode’’. I must admit I had been a little intimidated when I got dressed that morning. I asked him what his most precious garment was: ''My Giorgio Armani outfit I wore to my wedding with square-headed crocodile-skin shoes''. But that's not his only extravagance: ''I have a skirt (in SAPE men can wear skirts). This skirt was made by Yohji Yamamoto. But my wife refuses to let me wear it.’’ (Laughter)
We started wandering through a maze of small streets and Heris says to me: "Naples is a huge hiding place for Ali Baba". People come from all over to buy shoes in Naples. So we started with the shoes. How does one describes these shops? Let's say that nothing, but really nothing from the outside allows you to imagine the luxury you find inside. A backyard, at the end of a dark street, with barely a poster outside to announce it. Let's just say that if I had ventured into the neighborhood on my own, I would’ve turned around. Everywhere we went, Heris got the same treatment as the regulars. They greeted him, sometimes in French. They called him "little brother".
What to buy in Naples? Heris gives you a list of must-haves: "Genuine leather moccasins for men and women. Handbags, high-heeled shoes for women and suits for men’’. There are also local design houses that can custom-make clothes. I suspect that Heris must have paid himself for the services of a local designer. I left our shopping trip with a few bags: pants, 2 sweaters, a shirt and boots. I already received a few compliments. I will eventually return to Place Garibaldi on my own and I hope I will remember Heris' wise advices. What an adventure and what a great way to integrate into my new adoptive country!
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