The ISSIMO Edit, Holiday Edition: Marie-Louise Sciò
December 11, 2025
The ISSIMO Edit, Holiday Edition: Marie-Louise Sciò
Our head honcho picks her gifts for the festive season
Welcome to the last ISSIMO Edit of 2025! And who better than Marie Louise Sciò to be in charge of it? The CEO and Creative Director of Pellicano Hotels Group and brilliant mind behind ISSIMO knows a thing or two about impeccable taste – and impeccable gifting.
Below is her hand-picked edit of perfect presents to finish your holiday shopping with flair. And can we say, it’s on point. So read on, get inspired, and get shopping. These stocking-fillers are bound to make an impression (and be absolutely adored) to whoever you’ll gift them to!
ISSIMO Mezzatorre Bridge Set, ISSIMO Il Pellicano Backgammon and ISSIMO La Posta Vecchia Domino
Board games are a must during the holidays. They bring the family together, make for an excellent break in between meals, and are just so much fun. We have quite a few now under our belts, and they’re all great to get and to give.
Not only does this ultra-plush blanket make the perfect winter warmer, it’s also a little wink at our next big opening, La Badia. Wrap yourself in it now, and you’ll already feel halfway to Orvieto. Consider it a cosy preview of what’s to come.
For the architecture obsessives (and the secretly architecture-curious) in your life, this Bellissimo Box is perfection. Four gorgeous books spanning gardens, interiors, Arte Povera and Italy’s most astonishing structures — basically a mini cultural deep-dive. And because I can’t resist: it’s absolutely a collector’s piece. One to gift… or to keep.
Our ISSIMO x Choosing Keeping Lemons Notebook is my everyday essential: bright, joyful, and impossible not to smile at. Perfect for jotting down ideas, dreams, sketches…or simply bringing a little sunshine to your desk. When life gives you lemons, write something wonderful.
For the food lovers and Italophiles on your list, this ISSIMO x Quinto Sapore Umbrian Orto is my idea of a perfect gift: an artisanal ensemble of Umbrian goodies celebrating the region’s rich culinary roots. Battuto di Aglione, Pumpkin & Truffle Velouté, Green Tomatoes in Oil, and Smoked Caponata are guaranteed to elevate any meal, making for a gourmet spread to remember.
Yes, it’s wonderfully warm. Yes, it’s ridiculously soft. But it’s also my cheeky hint toward another opening in the Pellicano Books: La Suvera. Wrap yourself in it and pretend you’re already there – I won’t tell.