Fabio Billi's beauty case.

When my aunt was 18, her husband gave her a precious gift: a handmade leather beauty case made especially for her by a Florentine leather artisan.

All her life she kept her jewels in this box. When I was young, I used to travel a lot with her and the beauty case was often the source of jokes between us as it used to be my duty to guard it at airports and train stations.

I really liked this case and when she was still alive, my aunt used to say that it would eventually be mine. Now I have it and still keep my precious things in it. It is about 70 years old and is still in pristine condition.

The case is square in shape with a very simple and elegant design. On the inside, it is lined with dark red silk, which makes it look like a treasure box from a Hollywood movie. I realised later in life that this was the feature I liked most, together with the leather smell mixed with the fragrance of the Dior perfume my aunt wore all her life.

Nowadays I like the memories it carries. It is like a treasure box for the soul, full of good memories instead of jewels.