“From a young age, I would hunt through my grandmother’s wardrobe, seeking out pieces she no longer wore. I held on dearly to them, like tesori.”
Tesori means Treasures in Italian. Precious treasures, which we find in flea markets or get passed down through generations. We keep them like heirlooms because each piece carries a history, a story, a moment, within their seams.
In Japan, an enchanting world of vintage shops and weekend antique markets thrive, where a genuine passion for vintage clothing adorned with intricate hand embroidery is palpable. These flea markets, often with hundreds of years of history, intrigued and inspired Founder and Chief Designer Emanuela Nurra, endlessly. This season, antique-looking nightgowns are worn as modern daily attire, pairing them with oversized wool pullovers, trainers, and velvet flat shoes, often adorned with colourful socks. Floral prints exclusively made in a mix of soft cotton and kapok. Lace and embroideries add intricate details to shirts, designed for versatile mixing and matching with shorts, skirts, trousers, pullovers, or vibrant jacquard cardigans.

C’era una volta… is an Italian label created for newborns through to sixteen  year-olds. Delicate, pure and refined, it is a timeless brand dedicated to dress children beautifully, just as they are.  Believing always in a soft, comfortable touch, chief designer and founder, Emanuela Nurra, designs each piece with all the love of a passionate mother for her 2 young daughters. Just like how her grandmother and mother, from the south of Italy,  Sardinia,  loved her and her 2 sisters.

​C’era una volta simply means “Once upon a time” in Italian and it’s a simple phrase we often hear during childhood, when parents read stories to their children. We hope each C’era una volta piece will be treasured as a keepsake for your children and the generation to follow.

Emanuela and Paola met by chance in 2015 in their favorite bakery in Shanghai.

Ever since, they are not only tight by a great friendship, common life and family values, but they also share the same passion for travels, design, fashion and details. Since 2017 they share the same vision for C’era una volta and they passionately work to create their lifetime dream.