“Made in Italy” and design. Building brand fashion

di Marco Turinetto
in Memoria e Ricerca n.s. 50 (2015), p. 67

The article discusses the role of design in the fashion world and its growing importance in the creation of value and identity for the different brands. The phenomenon of production relocation, especially in Asian countries, is in fact at variance with the presence of traditions, culture and services, which now constitute the linchpin in the creation of luxury brands, which remain firmly in Italy. It can be said that, beyond individual brands, a “product of Italy” has been created, so we can perhaps refer more correctly to an all-embracing “From Italy” designation, rather than using the more dated and restrictive “Made in Italy”. The article emphasizes the historical evolution of design and its role in the process of differentiation of the brands in a competitive market. In this regard, it is important to stress the design concept widespread in Italy, that is, as an activity of synthesis that includes the actual design but also the evaluation of the technical and economic aspects of the project as a whole, as opposed to the more simplified form of “styling” in other international contexts, which instead is only restricted to design and applied art. The combination of design and fashion therefore appears essential to explain the international success of some of the most famous Italian brands. Keywords: design, brand, Made in Italy, styling, fashion, aesthetics.