Italy Design

From the Roman aqueducts to Leonardo’s flying machine to Dolce & Gabbana’s spacesuit-inspired winter 2008 line, Italians have always had a penchant for design. Compare Enzo Ferrari’s original 1929 cars to Ford’s Model T’s, Bialetti’s 1930 art deco Moka Express coffeemaker to one by Mr. Coffee, or a Gucci leather shoe to the American sneaker, and it’s obvious that Italians designers deserve the prestige they enjoy. Aside from cars and appliances that achieve statuesque beauty, Italian design produced the Vespa —still adored by Italians and hated by fearful tourists—in 1946, and the 1957 Fiat, a tiny 2-door car. Before the days of sleek laptops, Olivetti’s 1969 Valentine typewriter by designer Ettore Sottass combined style and practicality. This combination of streamlined beauty and simple functionality frequently characterizes Italian design.

Fashion For Pocket Change. Save 25-75% at end-of-season sales. These happen in January and July and last until the collection sells out. Many stores also offer previews of the next collection at this time.

Equally stunning and more widely recognized is Italian fashion design. Italian domination began in 1881 when Cerruti opened his doors and began his lasting impact on Italian fashion, serving as a mentor and teacher for later designers such as Giorgio Armani. Still-famous Salvatore Ferragamo, whose love affair with shoes would later produce Dorothy’s ruby slippers in The Wizard of Oz (1939), opened his first shoe shop in his parents’ home in 1912. The illustrious Fendi line began as a tiny fur and leather business in Rome at the end of WWI, but was revolutionized by the five Fendi sisters who took control after WWII. Two years later, Guccio Gucci opened a leather store in Florence originally intended as a saddle shop that later moved to Rome and became an international fashion powerhouse. In the early 50s, Gian Battista Giorgini organized a series of runway shows that re-introduced the phrase “Made in Italy” as a universally accepted indication of quality and established Milan as a fashion capital on par with Paris. Italy soon became host to now-famous designers such as Max Mara (1951), Valentino (1962), the Giorgio Armani Company (1975), Versace (1978), and Dolce & Gabbana (1985), all of whose designs litter the red carpet, often overshadowing the stars they adorn. To become a star for the day, go shopping in Milan (see Milan: Shopping), and find out what makes this the fashion capital of the world. Take notes on the classic cuts, quality fabrics, and liberal use of black that make Italians so effortlessly stylish. If you have assimilated to Italian culture and decided that football is your passion, take a look at Dolce & Gabbana’s AC Milan uniforms (see Milan: Sports) or their 2006 men’s underwear campaign featuring well-cut calcio stars.