Fashion Week – As always, Milan Fashion week was the subject of a number of articles in the foreign press. Various papers briefly described the collections with photos (Le Monde, February 27 – La Fashion Week de Milan en instantanés*; Wall Street Journal, February 27 – Milan Fashion Week Highlights: Prada, Moschino, Max Mara and Zagliani*, New York Times, February 27 – Once Upon a Time in Italy … *The Times, March 4 – In Milan it’s flower power, scuba suits and the Prada princess*), underlining the Italian passion for retro (Le Monde, March 3 – Le rétro, une passion italienne*), as well as the desire to expand expressive forms along side the more classic styles (Le Monde, February 27 – La mode italienne peutelle être excentrique ? *).
Other articles concentrated on proposals of individual designers, with particular interest in Dolce&Gabbana and their tribute to Italian moms (Wall Street Journal, March March 1 – Dolce & Gabbana Launches Couture Line for Men*; Washington Post – March 1 , Dolce&Gabbana pay sentimental tribute to mothers in Milan), as well as Armani (Washington Post, March 2 – Armani creates new winter trousers with tulip flair).
And while the Wall Street Journal took a peed at the upcoming men’s fashions (February 27 – Men’s Fashion Looks for New Momentum*), M – Le magazine du Monde dedicated a long profile to Carla Sozzani, the power behind the throne of Italian fashion February 27 – Carla Sozzani, la Vénus de Milan*). Finally, Reuters turned its attention to the fashion business, reporting on the positive forecasts for 2015 for Ferragamo March 1 – Ferragamo CEO sees higher 2015 sales after ‘excellent’ February).
Business – Foreign reports on the Italian economy covered luxury goods as well as fashion. Luxottica doubled its dividends in 2014 (Reuters, March 2 – Luxottica more than doubles dividend payment on 2014 results) and Cassina launched a new line of products to fight the counterfeiting of its most famous models (Les Echos, February 28 – Cassina fait la chasse aux imitations).
Along with the discussion on the runways shows in Milan, business was also the center of attention for the maxi acquisition by investors in Qatar, of the new real estate property of Porta Nuova (February 27 su Cinco Dias – Qatar compra un barrio entero de negocios en Milán; Le Temps – Italie: quand le Qatar s’offre les gratte-ciels de Milan; Bloomberg – Qatar Gets Full Control of Milan’s Porta Nuova District; Le Nouvel Observateur – Le Qatar rachète quartier d’affaires Porta Nova à Milan).
Italy’s attraction can also be seen in the interest of the Spanish company Abertis, which is planning to buy the towers of Wind for 693 million euro (Expansion, March 2 – Abertis compra 7.377 torres de telefonía móvil en Italia por 693 millones) and Avis, with plans to buy the domestic activity of Maggiore (Wall Street Journal, March 2 – Avis Budget to Buy Italy’s Maggiore Group for $170 Million).
Another series of articles reported on the International development of Italian groups, with Medioalum growing in Spain (El Pais, March 3 – Banco Mediolanum incrementó su patrimonio un 22% en Euskadi) and Enel developing a wind farm in Brazil (Bloomberg, March 2 – Enel Building 28-Megawatt Wind Farm in Brazil Serra Azul Complex)
People – The foreign press ran pieces on well-known Italians, or people tied to Italy. The Financial Times interviewed Antonello Fava, first lieutenant in the Italian Coastguard who has saved thousands of immigrants (February 27 – Antonello Fava, Italian coastguard*), while the Wall Street Journal wrote about the work of Raffaele De Simone, mechanical engineer and test driver at Maranello, the person who checks that every car turned out by the Cavallino Rampante gives the driver the exact emotions of being behind the wheel of a Ferrari (March 1 – The Man Who Test-Drives Ferraris*). The Washington Post published an Associated Press interview with Mia Hamm, who played for the Fifa in 2001 and 2001 and is the new CEO of the Roma soccer team (March 2 – AP Interview: Mia Hamm ‘humbled’ to join Roma’s board).
Culture, tourism, cooking – As always, the foreign press made a few recommendations for tourism and cultural events. The New York Times explored a still sparkling Ravenna (27 – Ravenna, Italy, Glittering Still*), while the Financial Times ran a piece on Renato Guttuso, looking at the work of this painter of modern life on show in London (March 3 – Renato Guttuso: Painter of Modern Life, The Estorick Collection, London — review*).
Another New York Times article is dedicated to food and wine, with a journey to taste the red grapes of Piedmont (February 27 – Firmly Rooted in the Piedmont) and the Sunday Times last week explained how to eat burrata (March 2 – The Ingredient: burrata*).
* marked articles viewable online upon payment or registration