Italy in the world: Made in Italy and internationalization – During a summer with heavy emphasis on politics, the foreign press still paid attention to the Italian economy and Made in Italy was under the spotlight. While more recent news reported Fiat’s new investment plans in Italy and the Lingotto-based carmaker’s focus on luxury items (September 4 in the Financial Times – Fiat plots road to recovery in Italy with focus on luxury e Time – Fiat Confirms Investment in Flagship Turin Plant), during August, various papers concentrated on the success of some of Italy’s largest fashion houses. Ferragamo, which continues to up its revenues, was the object of special interest (The Times, August 30 –Shoemaker Salvatore Ferragamo steps ahead*), as were Furla, which is accelerating the opening of new stores in China (Financial Times, August 26- Furla accelerates opening of China stores) and Fratelli Rossetti whose timeless elegance was the keynote in the inauguration of its news flagship store in Bangkok (Bangkok Times, August 16 – Timeless Elegance).
In the summer, less news often means more in-depth reporting and – as far as Made in Italy brands were concerned – that meant long profiles in the foreign press. Pieces were written on “the art of comfort” produced by Poltrona Frau (Le Monde, August 27 – Poltrona Frau, l’art de l’assise), Brunello Cucinelli’s “philosophy of cashmere” El Pais, August 24 – Filósofo del cachemir), Giorgio Armani as a fashion icon (Expansion, 23 agosto – Armani: de estudiante de medicina a gran icono de la moda), and the cult designer Lisa Corti (Wall Street Journal, August 2 – The Cult of Italian Textile Designer Lisa Corti).
The attraction of Made in Italy brands is confirmed by arrival of numerous students in Italian fashion schools. Arab News reported on the young people from all over the world who go to Florence to learn the art of its master shoemakers (Arab News, August 13 – World shoe aficionados flock to Italian masters).
Culture and Cinema: the Venice Film Festival and Italian art – As is customary, there was no lack of articles on Italian culture in the foreign press. Recently, the honors went to the Venice Film Festival. While waiting to know the winner of the Golden Lion, the press ran pieces and photos not only about the showings, but also the atmosphere of the 70th edition of the annual film bash (from August 26 to September 6 in El Pais – Los 70 del Festival de Venecia; El Pais – El documental ya es un rival serio ; La Vanguardia – “El cine no cambia el mundo, el cine crea mundos”; La Vanguardia – Las bicicletas son para Venecia; New York Times – At the Venice Film Festival, Dirty Politics, Eco-Warriors and a Mother’s Quest;).
But, along with the seventh art, there was great interest in other aspects of Italian culture, starting with literature. The Financial Times and the Wall Street Journal rediscovered Zibaldone by Giacomo Leopardi and Piacere by Gabriele d’Annunzio (August 16 – Review: Giacomo Leopardi’s ‘Zibaldone’; August 23 – Book Review: ‘Gabriele d’Annunzio’ by Lucy Hughes-Hallett | ‘Pleasure’ by Gabriele d’Annunzio), while a Mexican daily, La Jornada, ran a piece on the new museum “Muse” of Trento, designed by Renzo Piano (August 3 – La gravedad cero de Renzo Piano ‘‘suspende tiempo y espacio’’ en nuevo museo italiano).
Finally, El Pais turned its attention to pop music with a long article on the mythical singer Mina (August 26 – Mina, el fulgor que no cesa), upon publication of some never-before release recordings by the Italian singer.
From Verona to Stromboli: tourism in Italy – In the summer, articles on visiting Italy are a must. The foreign press described the beauties of the peninsula from North to South. The starting points were Verona (El Mundo, August 30 – Enamorarse de Verona en ocho latidos) and Monza (with an article in the New York Times on the Autodomo, September 5 – Racing in Italy’s ‘Temple of Speed’), and the journey continued to Langhe (The Times, August 31 – The Langhe, Italy – a land of hills and hazlenuts*). There were articles on the beauties of Tuscany (August 4 in the Sunday Times – Going Wild in Tuscany: Italy’s Unspoilt Coast and August 28 in the International Herald Tribune – In Tuscany, a winemaker offers an answer to urban sprawl), leaving space to tell the story of someone who picked up and moved to Florence (Financial Times – From opera to olives: British businessman’s new life in Florence, the new life of manager David Aspin told in the column “Expat lives”). There was interest in Southern Italy with a 36 hour trip to Lecce (New York Times, August 11 – 36 Hours in Lecce, Italy), an excursion to the craters of Stromboli (Le Monde, August 14 – Une heure dans le cratère du Stromboli) and the celebration of la dolce vita, Sicilian style (Expansion, August 19 – La ‘Dolce vita’ siciliana).
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