In Living Color

When the Rolling Stones released their 1967 hit, “She’s a Rainbow,” many speculated that the uncharacteristically unabashed love song was really just some psychedelic-fueled ode to an imaginary figure. What woman possibly “shoots colours all around, like a sunset going down,” as the song’s lyrics declared? She exists, we tell you.

The London-born Italian spent her childhood in Madrid before attending school in Switzerland, and eventually university in Paris. Alas, you could say she grew up as a citizen to no single country, and an observant student to the habitudes around her, especially when it came to style: how others dressed, how her own mother dressed her differently (“I was only allowed chocolate brown and navy blue. Everybody used to think I was a boy.”), and most especially the idiosyncratic tastes of her two grandmothers, both of whom left indelible impressions on young Zambeletti.

There was her maternal grandmother, a flamboyant dresser with a striking collection of hats, who had all her clothes made-to-measure to accommodate her petite frame. “She was a very cultivated woman—very much into the arts, very much into yoga early on.” It was this grandmother who perhaps, however subconsciously, encouraged Zambeletti’s own relationship to the notion of dressing out loud. She can recall her personal “coming out” at the age of 14, in the form of a bubble gum pink outfit her father purchased for her from Benetton:

And then there was her paternal grandmother, a practical and orderly woman who traveled the world “inside and out,” including to Japan and Cambodia—three times. “Her household ran like clockwork. Her menus were amazing, the table settings were amazing. Every Wednesday she used to do the flower-arranging.” It was her pragmatism that reveals itself in Zambeletti, the founder and heartbeat behind Wait And See.

For an entire year, she researched the concept and devised a business plan, ensuring that it was 99-percent fail-proof before approaching a bank for a loan. The other one percent? Well, consider the store’s name.

The idea behind the store and its offerings came from a noticeable gap in the market, which Zambeletti saw during her years consulting for other fashion brands.

It’s been 15 years since the store’s debut, and Zambeletti still meticulously researches and studies every brand the store carries each season. Her penchant for color, and her vibrant spirit in general pervades nearly every square inch of Wait And See’s interiors. Located in a former convent in Milan’s Cinque Vie district, the space feels like an eclectic clubhouse with its color-coded displays of merchandise, and the near-palpable excitement of its patrons who feel like they’ve landed on something incredibly special.

Can that same vivacious spirit translate to other locations? Zambeletti hopes so, as she’d love to expand the store’s presence, most especially in New York. Of course she wouldn’t do so (nor would she even announce its forthcoming) without a well-assessed plan in place. In the meantime, we’ll just have to wait and…