FASHION PASSION

by Angelica Contorno, Angela Coffaro, Valeria Leone, Francesca Sacco
Italy is one of the leading countries in fashion design, alongside others such as France, USA, Great Britain, Germany and Japan. Fashion has always been an important part of the country's cultural life and society, and Italians are well known for their attention of dressing-up well  and the Italian women are among the best-dressed in the world.


Fashion in Italy started to become the most fashionable in Europe since the 11th century and powerful cities of the time, such as Venice, Milan, Florence, Naples, Vicenza and Rome began to produce robes, jewelry, textiles, shoes, fabrics, ornaments and elaborate dresses. Italian fashion reached its peak during the Renaissance. As Italy is widely recognized as the cradle and birthplace of the Renaissance, art, music, education, finance and philosophy flourished, and along with it, Italian fashion designs became immensely popular (especially those worn by the Medicis in Florence). The fashions of Queen Catherine de' Medici of France, were considered amongst the most fashionable in Europe.
In the 17th century, Italian fashion fell into decline, after the designs of the Spanish, English and French courts took over the lead. In France, French fashion became the most popular in Europe, until the 1950s and 60s when Italian fashion retook its position of importance in the fashion world.
Despite this decline, however, there was some fashion and clothing activity, especially in Rome, Milan and Florence. Some of the first Italian fashion houses such as Bulgari, Prada, Gucci and Ferragamo were founded in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.
On 25 February 1951, Italian businessman Giovanni Battista Giorgini, held a fashion show in Florence. His fashion shows were a huge success and saw the possibility of Italy returning to its original position.
In 2009, Milan was regarded as the world fashion capital.
A fashion capital is a city which has a major influence on international fashion trends and in which the design, production and retailing of fashion products – plus events such as fashion weeks, awards and trade fairs – generate significant economic output. The cities considered the Big Four fashion capitals of the world are: London, Paris, Milan and New York.
Just in Milan there are some  of the great signatures of the Italian fashion: Valentine, Armani, Versace, only to quote some among the most famous names, from years they succeed in maintaining the attention of the world on the Italian fashion. As it happens in New York, Paris, Tokyo, London and Los Angeles, also in Milan it is held twice a year the week of the fashion. It deals with two parades; a spring / summer that is held in September / October and the  autumn / winter that  is held in February / March. During these parades, the collections are introduced that are related to the following seasons.  The events devoted to the female fashion are the clou of the week of the fashion and in particular way "Womenswear", "Milan SS Women Ready to Wear" and "Milan Moda Donna" they are the most important parades. The events devoted to the masculine fashion are "Menswear" and "Milan Moda Man."Another Italian city, considered the capital of the fashion, even if in smaller importance in comparison to Milan,  is Rome. Here we can find  important houses of fashion such as as Bulgari, you Split, Laura Biagiotti and Brioni. Besides, other great international labels as Chanel, Prada, Dolce & Gabbana, Armani, Versace, Dior, Gucci Burberry, Valentine, Hermes, Max Mara, Louis Vuitton have luxury boutiques in Rome, above all in the famous street of Via Condotti.
SHOPPING
But which are the ideal places for shopping in Italy? Surely Rome, the ideal place where you can discover the magnificent monuments of the town and also visit the world famous  streets of shopping: Via Condotti,Via Borgognona, Via Frattina where you can find  the exclusive  boutiques  like Gucci, Prada, Ermanno Scervino, Giorgio Armani,  Burberry, Chanel, Tiffany, Bulgari and many other brands.
 All the streets around via Condotti and Piazza di Spagna, together with  the beautiful via dei Babbuini that leads to  Piazza del Popolo, are dedicated to the high fashion.
And what about Milan?  Many streets in Milan look like a photo shoot for Italian Vogue.
The fashion quarter is basically the same as the historic centre around the Piazza Duomo, a roughly rectangular area known as the Quadrilatero d'Oro (Golden Quadrilateral), bounded by Via Montenapoleone, Via Sant'Andrea, Via Monzani and Via della Spiga. Elsewhere in the city, Corso Vercelli, near Porta Magenta, is a chic residential enclave with some wonderful shops.