By Quincey Caldwell
Photo by the Author
When picturing the historic sights and spots of Florence, it is often people’s first instinct to imagine the grand churches and monuments that adorn the streets. While these attractions are significant in defining the culture of the area, they are not the only means of taking in the richness of the city’s past. For a look into a unique strain of Florentine artistry, one need not look further than Filistrucchi.
Nestled in an unassuming storefront in Santa Croce sits Filistrucchi, an artisan workshop specialising in wigs and prosthetics. As their brochure will proudly tell you, this is the oldest running shop in Florence, and has been passed down between generations of the Filistrucchi family since 1720. Since their founding, this shop has created handmade hair pieces for theatres, movie studios, opera houses, and celebrities throughout the world.
Entering the shop, I was greeted by busts sporting everything from one meter beards to two tone afros. Despite the extravagance of the wigs, however, the storefront itself was a quaint room just wide enough to stand in. After just a moment of taking in the environment, Gherardo Fillistrucchi, emerged from the back room to welcome me.
Although there were no scheduled tours on the day of my visit, was kind enough to show me into the workshop where the wigs are created. As I watched one of the artists string individual hairs onto the forms, I was struck by the meticulousness of the process. Each piece produced in Filistrucchi is made by hand using many of the same tools and techniques that they have from their beginning.
While a wig shop is not the typical image of Florence, Filistrucchi’s importance within the Florentine art scene is unquestionable. Unconventionally and charming, a visit to this historic site imparts a sense of deep history that permeates the city.