In Scicli, Chiarais is the only artisan company in Italy that produces entirely hand-spun shawls, the guardian of an ancient Sicilian tradition taught to Chiara Gregis by Donna Stella, who elected her as her heir to pass on this precious art.

In 2019, Chiara, a Sicilian by adoption to follow her husband Filippo, who was renovating historic homes in Scicli, met Donna Stella, the custodian of ancient Sciclitan arts, including the throwing of flower petals—a tradition that takes place every year in the town during the popular festival of U’ Gioia on Easter Sunday—and hand-spun shawls.

The genesis of this accessory is lost in the dawn of time in the island’s history, a garment born in the traditions of Arab rule and which, due to its preciousness, was used for the most important ceremonies, such as weddings, or as a symbol of love and an engagement gift.

I chose this triangle of openwork and fringes to convey the value of traditions and our artisan skills which are the most precious thing we possess, a symbol of Italian quality and excellence.

Chiara falls in love with it, and Donna Stella gives her one, introducing her to the symbolic value of this art. Thus, Chiara decides to become her spokesperson to pass on this ancient craft at risk of extinction, and two years later she created the Scialleria Chiarais, located in the heart of Scicli, in an ancient baroque palace at Via Nazionale 43.

Here, Chiara creates wonderful handmade accessories together with her Donne di Luce (Women of Light), yarn artists who had almost forgotten the beauty and dignity of artisanal work and who now carry it forward with devotion, proud to make it known throughout the world.

A space that combines laboratory, atelier, and home, with a large display of shawls and other unique garments, symbols of superstition and mystery; capable of educating and emancipating today as they did in the days when women embroidered and wove their pride into threads.

In their quest for excellence, Chiarais shawls use only the finest yarns, produced exclusively in Italy, from merino wool and silk to cashmere.

The hand-sewn linen case containing each shawl is reminiscent of the pillowcases Sicilian women used to protect their most important garments. Inside, there’s a comb handcrafted by a Sicilian carpenter using olive wood, used to maintain the beauty of the fringes.

The uniqueness of Chiarais products is evident in every detail, and like a small work of art, each piece bears the name of the woman who made it and is finished with an 18K gold-plated 925 silver medallion, guaranteeing that each piece has been handcrafted in full respect of the artisanal and cultural traditions of Sicilian shawl-making.

In addition to shawls, Chiarais creates other accessories tied to Sicilian tradition, from vests to skirts, and its collections can be found in the world’s most sought-after boutiques, from Antonia to 10 Corso Como in Milan, or purchased in the brand’s online store. However, the best experience, of course, is making an appointment at the shawl atelier in Scicli.

The Secret

The Stella Shawls collection preserves numerous ancient traditions, such as embroidered flowers: the peony, considered the plant that healed, cured, and protected, and the rose, a flower always associated with female deities, symbol of the goddess Aphrodite.

Useful Info

Chiarais Scialleria
Via Nazionale 43
97018 Scicli, Ragusa
Tel. +39 329 6053878
info@chiarais.com