Many experts argue that Italy has always invested in art throughout its history; even before the country was created and when the Peninsula was divided into dozens of small city-states, local aristocrats spent huge amounts of money on art, luxury design and culture in general. There is no need to mention that Italy is a country of the Renaissance. Over the centuries, aristocrats and the ruling class in Italian cities maintained a high interest in design and art. Even the fashion was always popular in Italy. Its roots can be traced back to the 14th Century. Style and glamour became an inseparable part of the ruling class’ identity. And once Italy united, and when the old feud system was replaced, an enormous heritage of the ‘design passion’ remained. And even during the periods when Italy was a poor country, it had a number of famous designers, fashion, industrial and/or furniture ones (they designed luxury furniture, for example, from chair to beds).
The Golden Period
Only after the Second World War, the Italian design became globally recognized and renowned, partially due the processes of globalization. The Hollywood and Italian cinema also played an important role in this process of the popularization of the Italian design. Famous Hollywood movies filmed in Rome and famous Italian movies of the 1950s and 1960s glorified the magnificent Italian design. This was the golden age and a true avant-garde of Italian design. After the war, it took a crucial turn from the technical, formal and artistic point of view. With competitive projects striving for innovation and creativity, the designers’ work was merged with the research the Italian industry was conducting at the time. Applied to a variety of everyday objects from sewing machines to portable fans, this research proved useful in terms of functionality and elegance. Industrial objects and furniture became a symbol of this renaissance period during the 1950s. During this period, designers such as Gae Aulenti, Achille Castiglioni and Vico Magistretti contributed greatly to Italy becoming a Mecca for creativity and innovation.
During the 1960s and 1970s, Italian interior design reached its peak in terms of stylishness and phrases such as ‘Bel Design’ and ‘Linea Italiana’ became a commonplace in the vocabulary of furniture design. The new decade brought new names such as Mario Bellini, Enzo Mari and Rodolfo Bonneto who contributed greatly to the international success of the purer Italian design. The 1960s also brought the radical Anti-Design movement that took a stance against everything modernism stood for. Emerging as a criticism of consumer culture and the excesses of Italian design and the continuous drive for novelty, the movement reacted against the emphasis that was placed on the style and the aesthetics of form and embraced exaggerated and expressive qualities such as the striking colours, ornamentation and decoration, kitsch and irony. The key proponent of this movement was Ettore Sottsass, but it also involved designers such as Paolo Lomazzi, Alessandro Mendini or Piero Gilardi. By the second half of the 1970s, the movement had dissolved and disbanded and Ettore Sottsass formed the infamous Memphis Group that created pieced that didn’t follow any known tendencies at the time. This new provocative and kitsch style became the guiding style of the new Italian design.
Local Touch
Like food, the regions of Italy each have their manufacturing specialty. Glass in Venezia, ceramics in Tuscany, and in the country’s north, a dedication to high-tech precision. “The post-war manufacturing of northern Italy was a model of diversity, quality and self-improvement,” says Rosselli, and despite the global trend towards Asian production, many brands, such as Smeg, remain committed to Italian manufacture.
Based in Guastalla in Emilia Romagna, all Smeg’s factories are located in Italy and Buchanan says the region remains a manufacturing stronghold. “Northern Italian manufacturing includes companies like Ferrari, Maserati, Ducati, Pagani… There’s incredible pride in engineering in this region. Each company in turn inspires its neighbors to continually innovate and create ever-better technologies.”
Passion for Fashion
When designer and stylist Emma Elizabeth chose to study Scenografia (a fusion course between interior design, industrial design and set design) in Milan, she began a love affair with Italy. “As a culture, they do everything with a sense of passion,” she says. “Their hand gestures, their choice of words, their enthusiasm for life, echoes in our hearts and minds.”
The Italian passion for design knows no boundaries; rather it is an overall appreciation for creativity. For example, Smeg has been collaborating with world-leading architects since 1985. Why? “Because architecture is for life. A building is designed to be enjoyed for time immemorial,” says head of brand, Tamara Buchanan. And this enduring view of design gives the Italians their staying power. “We design appliances with long-term elegance and architectural principles which will stand the test of time.”
All In The Family
Many of the most loved Italian design brands are family-owned, which maintains a level of quality and integrity that is often otherwise compromised. “It is very easy to see when ‘the suits’ have taken over a company,” Lyda believes. “It becomes all about the bottom line and not about the quality.”
Buchanan confirms, “Family is everything to Smeg. It means the brand retains independence from shareholder pressure and allows Smeg to chart its own course. A family-owned company can stay true to its ideals and progress with a clear purpose.”
Whether fashion, automobile, furniture, appliances or lighting, Italian brands have a stronghold when it comes to design and manufacture. And it’s not just the historic, financial and political context that gave rise to its power, but the trademark passion of Italians that has maintained its position. As Lyda affirms, “It has a heart; it requires a visceral response.”
Conclusion
While the study found that Italy is home to a large number of creative people, it also found that the country has a higher than average number of people with mental disorders. This may be due to the fact that creative people are often more sensitive and prone to anxiety and depression. Despite the high number of mental disorders, Italy is still a country of great creativity. It is home to some of the world’s most famous artists, writers, and musicians. It is also a country with a rich history and culture. If you’re looking for a place to be inspired, Italy is the perfect place. It is a country full of creative people who have made significant contributions to the world. Follow Artmeet for more.