Economy – As the Italian economy is showing signs of growth (Reuters, April 20 – Italie: La croissance en hausse à 0,3% au T1, selon l’Istat), the international press is continuing to cover new investments making the news. Les Echos announces that Club Med has allocated 155 million euros to develop hospitality facilities in the country (April 16 – Le Club Med va investir pour développer sa destination Italie*) and, in a report by its correspondent in Italy, covers the opening of “Europe’s largest shopping centre” in Arese, where the former Alfa Romeo plant has been transformed with a 350 million euro investment (April 19 – Le plus grand centre commercial italien dans l’ex-usine Alfa*).
The New York Times, in its financial column DealBook, speaks of the Middle Eastern group Alabbar Enterprises acquiring a 100 million euro stake in the online fashion group Yoox Net-a-Porter (April 19 – Yoox Net-a-Porter Sells Stake to Middle East Retail Giant*)
Other news regards trade with China: while Bloomberg reports on China’s interest in AC Milan (April 15 – Chinese Group Wants to Seal AC Milan Takeover by June), Reuters explains that the growth of the Asian wine market may help Italy, which is now the sector’s top producer (Reuters, April 18 – World wine trade buoyed by rebound in China demand).
Real estate investment is also covered, with Financial Times visiting Puglia to report on how “the region is attracting more international buyers” (April 15 – Italy’s Puglia: why homebuyers are now hot on the heel*). Lastly, the London daily interviews Emma Marcegaglia, president of BusinessEurope and one of “Italy’s leading businesswomen” (April 21 – At Work with the FT: Emma Marcegaglia, BusinessEurope president*)
Fashion – In fashion news, Expansion covers the new tailor-made offerings by Giorgio Armani (April 19 – Giorgio Armani se pasa a la sastrería a medida), while The Wall Street Journal reports on the new collection designed for Nike by Givenchy’s creative director Riccardo Tisci (April 18 – Givenchy’s Riccardo Tisci Designs for Nike*).
Tourism – A number of reports are making the news. El País has published a photo gallery of Italy’s most beautiful villages (April 19 – Los pueblos más bonitos de Italia) and, for the supplement El Viajero, proposes “20 Neapolitan experiences” to be enjoyed in Campania’s “beautiful” capital (April 21 – 20 experiencias napolitanas). The New York Times Magazine, on the other hand, takes advantage of the just-ended Salone del Mobile to visit Milan’s restaurants of design (April 18 – Salone del Mobile’s Most Inviting Design Element: Food*); meanwhile, The Guardian journeys to Veneto in search of the finest prosecco (April 17 – The irresistible charm of prosecco) and recommends Umbria Jazz as among the top 10 music festivals in Europe (April 20 – Top 10 jazz festivals in Europe). Libération visits Turin to tell the city’s story “in the footsteps of Gianni Agnelli” (April 15 – Turin, l’auto centrée). Lastly, El Mundo pays a visit to Castelbosco, the “Shit Museum,” where artworks made from dung make for “an experience that is aesthetic as well as scientific and human, within the most innovative contemporary art” (April 18 – Italia tiene su propio Museo de la Mierda).
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