Italian Football and its Controversies

Four time Winners of the Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA) and recipients of 27 European Football trophies, Italy is one of the world’s leading countries that plays football with the required determination and sportsmanship making it the country’s most loved sport. Italy won the FIFA world cup in 1934, 1938, 1982 and in 2006 which has made it the second best country in Football after Brazil. Brazil’s record stands at 5 FIFA World Cups. Along with its 4 World Cup’s it has also won one European Championship, Olympic Football Tournament, and two Central European International Cups.

There is no doubt that Italy is one of the best known countries world over not only for its fashion, wines, food, religion but also as a country who hold their own when it comes to sports.  Along with the great history that it has with regards to Football there have been several controversies that have also been a part of the game. They have rocked the world of football and upset a number of fans due to its seriousness. Some of them have been the 2006 head butting scandal and the match rigging scandal that also came to light around the same time that is in 2006. The most recent controversy was the 2011 betting and match fixing scandal.   Match fixing and betting scandals are part of most games; it is when these outside the field tactics interfere with the game and its players that the credibility and the seriousness of the sport are questioned.

The 2006 head-butt between two of the world’s most popular players; Macro Meterazzi of Italy and Zinedine Zidane of France was an event in Football history that will forever be spoken about. It started with a match between France and Italy who are very strong rivals, Meterazzi was at the receiving of Zidane’s head butt. Zidane claimed that the head butt was the consequence of an insult thrown at Zidane’s mother and sister. The scenario ended with a two match ban against Meterazzi. 

The 2006 match rigging scandal was another debacle that took the football association by storm. A number of top Italian football clubs like Juventus, AC Milan, Lazio etc were accused of rigging games by forming a sort of network between referee organizations and team managers. The accusations have been made based on the fact that referees have been bought off by the clubs. The rigging happened by selection of suitable referees. The matter came to light when an investigation was made into the Football agency GEA World. During the football season of 2004-2005 the club Juventus that was a part of the GEA World was in the middle of the entire controversy. The club manager Luciano Moggi was reported to be having conversations with football associations with a view to influence the selection of referees. Most of the clubs including Juventus, AC Milan etc were Serie ‘A’ teams which means that they were the country’s top clubs. Due to the scandal as a means of punishment the Serie ‘A’ clubs were brought down in the category of Serie ‘C’ clubs which is in fact a huge blow as it takes a several points and hard work for a team to be considered a Serie A team. The punishment was totally valid as it was still a matter of doubt as to the how the club had reached its the Serie A position, there were serious questions as to whether they were on top because of hard work or because of the rigging of the games. Two of the clubs titles were also stripped off along with a fine of 68,000 Euros. The move of the clubs to Serie C affected the future of the team a great deal. Many players resigned and sort to move to other leagues like the English Premier League (EPL) and the Spanish Premier League La Liga. Other clubs like Lazio, Fiorentina, and Reggina lost out on their points. The scandal came to be known as the Moggiopoli after the clubs infamous manager Luciano Moggi. Today after 6 whole years the club Juventus has once again reached its top position of being termed as Serie ‘A’ team.

After the intensity of such a scandal one would pitch it to be a sort of point of reference for the future. One would look at it as being the low that no club or football team would ever want to be it. But in the midst of it all a similar scandal broke yet again. Early 2011 seen the wake of another match fixing and betting scandal. The Police investigation have led to a circle of current and recently retired players that are supposedly the center of the crime. The scandal began with the allegation that the drinks of the players were spiked which in turn led them to perform badly and a number of the players also fell ill during the game. The Police also claim that several famous players are part of the scandal yet again. One of Italy’s most loved player and a Captain to the club that was part of the 2006 scandal Giuseppe Signori is also said to be part of the controversy. However the investigations into the matter are still in session.

It is also worth noticing that Scandals like these have never before it the world of Football.

One would think that some of the best players and football teams have reached their top spots due hard work, great players and the will power to get to the top but it is when scandals like these come into the picture that the credibility of the whole sport is highly questioned. Italian Football has definitely come under the scanner after these controversies and has affected the world’s view on how much of sportsmen ship they actually show. 

Italy’s low birth rates.

In a country that has strong view on religion, the institution of marriage, the procreation of children and staunch family values one would think that a typical Italian home would be something like-A huge dining table with cousins, aunts, uncles, brothers and sisters and of course Mama and Papa enjoying a delicious meal. However this is rarely the case in contemporary Italy. The pictures of a big happy Italian family have become something of the past.

The in last decade Italy has been the second country with the lowest birth rates in Europe after Spain. The number has come down to one child per female. This news has come as a huge surprise to Catholic Church in Italy as well as people all over the world, the main reason being that Italy is the center of the Catholic Church and also where the unit of family is important to catholic culture. The estimates say that around 25% of Italian women do not have children and another 25% have just one child. 

One of the main reasons that Italian mothers chose not to have children is due to the slow influx of money. Most women chose between working full time and having a second child. A large number of women also receive no help from their husbands with regards to childcare or running a few errands or even helping with the household chores. Hence they deliberately chose work over having a second child and bearing an additional burden. It is also said that the salaries that an average Italian earns is on the lower side, which makes child rearing a problem. There is also the issue that women when pregnant do not receive exemption from work, most of them work full time while pregnant. The maternity leave that they are supposed receive is shorter which means that they are forced to travel. The infrastructural and medical facilities that the Italian government should provide are not taken care of.   

In spite of the fact that Italy is the center of the Roman Catholic Church and also keeping in mind the church’s views on the use of contraceptive pills, birth control and condoms the birth rates in Italy is still on the low. There are several women that use birth control and there is also the easy availability of condoms.

In contradiction to this there are other catholic countries like France and Ireland that have high child birth rates. This reason has more to do with the way the government looks at the scenario, if better provisions are made for expectant mothers, the government funds day care centers and puts into force better medical scheme and facilities for mothers the birth rates might improve. Norway for example has very strong child support groups in place, they also have longer maternal leave for expectant mothers and day care is funded entirely by the government.

Children are important for the country. In India for example a large section of the population are children and youth, it has been said time and again that this is one of India’s biggest asset.  In the same way when the birth rates are low there are more elderly people in the country which means that there is less contribution to the economy.

This problem of low birth rates in Italy is being studied by people that study the public and the social policy in Europe. According to them the ‘pay-as-you-go’ pension schemes have direct impact on birth rates. It is said that the schemes makes senior citizens and retired people less dependent on their children for support, which in turn has an effect on the number of children people have. The more children people had it was considered an investment as they would not only look after them they would also be of help at home and in the family business. The pension schemes have however changed that mind set of the people.

All said and done a country with a lower birth rate do have their problems but it is better than that of a country that has high birth rates and an exploding population

Italy and the European Union

Created in the aftermath of the Second World War and with a view to bring prosperity among European countries, the European Union or the EU is today the force that has given its 27 member countries a stature of peace, prosperity and stability.

Italy was one of the founding members in the EU in 1951 along with other countries like Belgium, Germany, France, Luxemburg and the Netherlands. It started with these 6 countries and has today grown into a 27 member Union.

In its initial phase the EU was formed with a basic view to bring a sort of economic stability to European countries however what once started as a forum for economic growth has today sprouted into an organization that deals with issues like the environment, human rights and has one of the most ambitious projects that deal with the ways in which the climate change can be reduced. The EU has since its inception developed into a single market with a common currency the Euro and is noted to be the rival to the Dollar. It has fostered in the smooth and free flow of goods, services and other products from one member country to another with the utmost ease. Without a doubt post the Second World War the EU has brought about a significant level of profits and has changed the lives of the people and the member countries distinctively.

The countries in the EU have been admitted to the Union firstly as a means to strengthen the Euro and facilitate in the creation of a stronger economy in the region and secondly after such an economy has been created to help in sustaining it. Since 2008 with the economic slowdown that affected a large number of countries all across the globe there has been pressure on certain countries in the European Union to step down from their role in the EU due to economic reasons. Italy is one such country. Due to the massive economic crunch that along with affecting other countries like USA, Portugal, Greece and Spain etc has also affected Italy. Although many countries have wriggled their way out of the slowdown Italy is still struggling.

Mario Monti the current PM of Italy has been in a tough spot since his election to save the country from a financial ruin. Many economists claim that Italy has been trying to save itself from the its heavy debt crisis by changing its leaders and introducing new policies but they believe that no amount of change in leadership or policies can bring Italy out of the severe debt crisis. British Economist Hugo states that Italy is never going to come out of the debt crisis because it is too big a country to be saved and because the Euro zone exists. The huge debt must also be kept in mind; Italy has a debt of nearly $1 trillion which is said that it is 1.2 times the total economic product of Italy. The crisis that has plagued Italy has been due to reasons of extreme corruption seen at the topmost levels(the last PM Berlusconi ash been charged with tax frauds, money laundering, prostitution etc), the mafia infested south garbage disposal and also the tendency of the nation to spend more that it makes. There is also the problem of tax evasions; Italians have over the years resented paying taxes one of the reasons is that they feel they get little in return as the roads and hospitals are bad, playgrounds are not maintained and are also messed up due to graffiti.

 The EU however has asked Italy to make changes in 3 keys areas, they are- the problem of garbage disposal in Naples, immigration and the debt crisis. With a view to bring about change the EU has asked Italy to implement new policies in the above mentioned areas that will help take away the current crisis that the country is facing. If Italy does not respond it could face the European Court of Justice (ECJ), which has the power to rule against member states and levy heavy fines and other penalties.        

Italy as a country has faced severe problems in the recent past and it still continues to haunt the present growth of the country. However it also goes without saying that the EU has been beneficial to Italy in a number of ways since its membership in 1951. It has helped in the growth of Italy post the World War II, it has given rise to the ‘single market’, and this has been helpful in easy trade between the different countries like as if it were happening in a single country. The EU has also led to the strengthening of the Euro, which in turn has benefited the countries in the Euro zone including Italy. The use of the common currency across all 27 countries has benefited the people of the region the most; it has facilitated easy travel and steady economic growth.  

Italy: Tourism and the Environment

Every year there are close to 43.2 million tourists that visit the beautiful country of Italy. Although many might think that that the main attractions in Italy are its various monuments, cuisine and art there is also Italy’s Mediterranean climate that attracts scores of tourists year after year. It goes without saying that a large part of Italy’s Gross Domestic Product comes from tourism; it is a $47.2 billion industry in the country.

Tourism in Italy began with the introduction of the ‘Grand Tour’. The tour included a sort of sight seeing all across Italy’s most famous cities like Naples, Florence, Milan and Sicily. The tour included people from the upper classes like priests, scholar’s academics and other important people, they came to admire Italy’s famous art and monuments and also enjoy the climate. This continued till the 17^th century. In 1840 however rail transport was introduced, this made traveling easy and the masses gained access to cheaper and better travel. That in turn resulted in an increase in tourism across Italy. There were crowds of people from all walks of life that came to Italy every year. Initially the tours would comprise of cultural visits, however the country soon became more popular for its climate and rich bio-diversity. A large number of the tourists that came to visit were from colder countries.

Before the World War II Italy was mostly an agrarian country and however the mass destruction due to the war rendered the land unfavorable for producing crops. Slowly but steadily Italy began its transformation into a more industrial nation. Although industries developed, there were and still are several regions in Italy where agriculture flourishes. However it is still largely dependent on tourism as the main source of income for a large number of people, making it the fifth most visited country worldwide after France, Spain, United States and China.

Along with the boom of tourism post 1840 there has also been a significant effect on various aspects of Italy’s culture, environment and also the economy. The biggest impact however is seen on the environment. Most of the European countries like France, Spain and Italy are regions that are very rich in bio-diversity; this is one of the reasons that make the regions so appealing. People across the globe are drawn towards the beautiful climate and exotic locations. The region of Italy in specific is home to endangered species of animals. People do not realize that tourism is one of the gravest threats to a region so rich and bountiful it’s in natural resources.

As far as the environment goes the shorelines in Italy are one of the most affected areas in the country. There have been mass development projects that have been undertaken in order to boost tourism. A Mediterranean holiday would not be complete without the beautiful beach bungalows overlooking the endless blue seas. To make space for more for these romanticized locations a large part of the coastline has come to be more urbanized. Hotels, vacation homes and other tourist locations have been undertaken. Three-quarters of the sand dunes that were previously found on the coastlines of Sicily have disappeared. Tourism especially along the coastlines has a tremendous impact on the seas. The seas along the coast of Italy are noted to receive close to 10 billion tonnes of industrial and urban waste per year. Most of it never gets cleaned. This in one way or another affects the marine life of the region. Tourism has to an extent also affected culture of Italy; many believe that culture has had both negative and positive impact on Italy. In a positive way it makes the people become more open to different people from across the world and rid their minds of any prior stereotypes. Negatively however the region becomes more cosmopolitan and it affects the local way of life of the people.

Tourism might temporarily be seen as a way for development of the economy but it has severe long term hazards that threaten that very source of increase in the GDP. Over exploitation of natural resources and large sale development and urbanization will sooner or later show adverse ill effects on the environment and further the risk of global warming and other environmental concerns.

Trishann Henriques 

Women and the Church

One of the earliest influences on the lives of not only the Italians but the entire Roman Catholic family across the globe has been the dominance of the Catholic Church. Roman Catholicism is one of the most widely practiced religions across the world and the largest branch of Christianity.  In Italy around 96% of the people are followers and the number only seems to grow. Across the world, continents of Asia and Africa reportedly have the fastest growing Roman Catholic population.

The entire Roman Catholic Church across the world falls under the governance of the Pope. The Pope resides in Vatican City and performs all his rights there. Rome is one of the most visited places of pilgrimage across the world not only for its magnificent architecture but mainly because it was where St. Peter set up the first Christian Church, what we today call St. Peter’s Basilica.

Through the years right from its inception millions of years ago the Church has in some way or the other discriminated in the roles that women and men play. Motherhood and proclaiming the word of God that is the Bible is looked at something that is respectful and dignified for a woman. In contrast to this the story of Adam and Eve and several other Biblical stories have developed the notion of a woman being known as a temptress. The Bible did not assign roles to a man like it did to a woman.

There have been several controversies that have ensued with regards to the Church’s attitude to women who practice Roman Catholicolism. One very famous and recent one is the ‘Da Vinci Code’. The book claimed that Jesus and Mary Magdalene were married and that the famous portrait of The Last Supper had Mary Magdalene sitting next to Jesus. The Author of the book Dan Brown states that all of the facts in the book are 99% true however none of them have been mentioned in the Bible. 

The role of women and the influence of the Church has always been a topic worth debating. Several people have pointed out what maybe be termed as unfair practices towards women in the Roman Catholic Church. For starters it is hard to understand why a woman can’t a woman priest conduct the mass. The Church ordinations of women to priesthood are invalid and those who attempt them are excommunicated. Nuns and Sisters have played the role of helpers and assisted in the setting up and the running of the schools, hospitals, convents, nursing homes and abbeys.

The Church however continues to influence the stature of women in a number of ways; although it has curbed the practice of infanticide and, strict divorce and incest laws and has also termed as marital infidelity of men equal to that of women there are other laws that almost seem baseless. One of the most controversial topics under the Catholic Church is the use of contraception. The Church does not allow the usage of condoms, birth control and contraceptive pills and also abortion. According to the Church the only form of contraception is that of abstinence from sex. The Church being against the usage of condoms has led to intense criticism in the sense that banning the use of condoms under the Church has led to concerns of AID’s in countries where the issue has reached the point of being termed as an epidemic.

The topic of birth control has enraged women across the world the basic justification is that how can a bunch of men; the bishops of the Roman Catholic Church discuss and come to conclusions about reproductive rights of women. In most matter if the Church like in this case for example no women were even consulted on the issue.

The Church is also against any sexual activity outside the holy bond of marriage. In opposition to this there is no single in verse in the Bible that states “Thou shalt not have sex before marriage”, in spite of this theologians argue that there are several verses in the Bible that imply pre-marital sex as being a sin. Another issue that most Catholics seem to have with the Church’s preaching is against the practice of divorce. According to the Church a divorce is not recognized and if any person decides to go forward with it they would be ostracized from the church. If after a divorce there happens to be a possibility of a re-marriage, the children born out of the marriage would be considered illegitimate.

The Church has emerged out of patriarchy but through the years has given women a certain amount of space by allowing them to run schools, hospitals and par take in other activities. However a large number of people still feel that the due to a largely male dominated hierarchy and the refusal to allow women to be priests still boils down to the fact that the role of women is still considered inferior.

Trishann Henriques 

Cinema: Italian Neo Realism

Theft, poverty, depression and life post World War II were the themes around which Italian –neo realism flourished. This type of cinema first originated in Italy from 1944-1954. As the name suggests the neo realist films were centered on the lives of the middle class. The films were dramas and sought to send out hard hitting messages through celluloid. The focus clearly shifted from fantasy to reality, there was also the use of non professional actors. The amazing storylines and cinematic excellence are some of the factors that put Italian cinema on the map and continually effect contemporary global film-making.

It has been said that Italian neo realism picked up pace after the fall of Bonito Mussolini. Most of the films served as a platform for political and civil awareness. The plots revolved around the life of an ordinary person who fought all odds. The films then focused on the dire circumstances of the people, and tried to express hope for a better future. Italy’s state post WW II was in complete contrast to what it is today.

Before Italian neo realism came to the forefront there was what was called “white telephone” films or Telephoni Bianchi. These films were set in the background of the upper class people. The entire storylines were based on their lives and focused more on themes like family values, respect for authority, and rigid class hierarchy. One of the main reasons Italian neo realism was encouraged was because of the lack of money. Most of the studios where “white telephone” films were made were all crushed because of the war. This post war destruction was in a way a good means through which directors sought to make more believable films. Studios were replaced by films that were completely shot outdoor. Italian neo realist films were any day more convincing, people at that time were ridden in financial crisis and neorealist films in a way helped them cope and relate to the characters. Bicycle Thieves is one of the most popular neo realist films. It followed the story of a man struggling to make ends meet in post war Italy. Some of the other popular films were La Strada, Open City, Stromboli etc.

Most of the neo realist film-makers like Federico Fellini, Roberto Rossellini, and Vittorio Di Sica used the common man as the theme of the films and used to mock the lives of the wealthy upper classes.  There is no doubt that Italian neorealist films have found its way into cinema of every country. Although Italian Neo realism was short lived it was succeeded by the French New Wave and Japanese New wave in France and Japan respectively. Neo realism also reached the Indian shores and seen the making of a number of films that had strong neo realist characteristics. Some of the films were ‘The Apu Trilogy’, Aadukalam, Salaam Bombay, the Runaway, Two Acres of Land etc.

Without a doubt neorealism put Italy on the maps and changed the way the world viewed Italian cinema. 

The Italian Mob

Most of us know about the Italian Mafia mostly because of the number of movies and television that have glorified it. The Godfather, its Indian counterpart Guru, Donny Brasco, The Untouchables, The Departed etc are some of the few movies that have shown many of us how the mafia functions. Originally formulated in Italy the mafia has spread to other countries like America and also Australia, Which has led to an Americanization of the traditional Sicilian mafia. The mafia gang in America is known as La Cosa Nostra or the LCN. It is an amalgamation of a gangsters and different types of criminal activities that are carried out all across the USA. 

The Sicilian Mafia began in Italy in the 1800’s with a view to unite peasants against their enemies. However in the early 1920’s its focus shifted from a group of peaceful Sicilian men to a more organized criminal outlet.   

The mafia originated in Italy but has today made it way to most other countries across the globe. Today most organized crimes are called mafia irrespective of the country. The mafia has existed in Italy for over 100 years and still continues to thrive. It has moved from being involved in drug trafficking, murders, prostitution, human trafficking and theft to being part of the government judiciary and the political system. In a way it has grown into committing more sophisticated crimes. Apart from these today there are a number of younger mafia leaders or “Bosses” that have begun to dominate the sphere, the crimes have shifted to offices and other white colored organizations in the hope of more money. Surprisingly, although they might work and function undercover a major part of Italy’s GDP depends on the Mafia. It accounts for approximately 10% of Italy’s GDP and has an annual turnover of an estimated 10 billion Euros. Some experts have even estimated it to be the second largest organization in Italy.

The mafia being an organized crime it follows a certain level of hierarchy, there is the decision-maker-the Boss, his associates are called Underboss, then there is the Capo and group of soldiers under each Capo. As a whole they are referred to as clans and divided into different mafia families.  The number of people in a Mafia Family or gang might range from 10 to 100 and before each family comes to be they require approval from other mafia families.

Like when an individual is hired to joining a firm he is made to sign a contract in the same light before a person is considered a “member” of the mafia he has to follow certain rules. The Mafia is neither a political nor a religious organization but before entry one must know that the oath states that the Mafia comes before birth, family and God.

The set of rules to be a “perfect” Mafioso somehow seem to amaze me, who knew that the Mafia would have a set of strict rules that ought to be followed? There are 10 rules that every member must follow. They are-No one can present himself directly to another of our friends. There must be a third person to do it, Never look at the wives of friends, Never be seen with cops, Don't go to pubs and clubs, Always being available is a duty - even if your wife's about to give birth, Appointments must absolutely be respected, Wives must be treated with respect, When asked for any information, the answer must be the truth, Money cannot be appropriated if it belongs to others or to other families,  People who can't be part of the mafia: anyone who has a close relative in the police, anyone with a two-timing relative in the family, anyone who behaves badly and doesn't hold to moral values.

The ultimate goal of the Mafia is to make money, lots of it. And the easiest way to do so is by –Extortion. Ideally they would threat a shop owner into paying $100 a week to be protected from criminals. These criminals were none other than the mafia themselves. Illegal drug use, gambling and money laundering are some of their activities that are a common phenomenon throughout Mafia occupies regions. However one of the most notorious mafia activities was the infiltration of labour unions.The mafia would get into the construction unions and control all its activities.  The Mafia had its grip firmly on a union; it could control an entire industry. Mafia could get workers to slow or halt construction if contractors or developers didn't make the right payoffs, and they had access to huge union pension funds.

There is no doubt that the Mafia has a tremendous amount of control over its people. The Italians those of whom are not involved in it live in fear of extortion burglaries and several other crimes that happen. Easy targets to the mafia are the scores of tourists that come to Italy every year. Between 1982 and 1992 there were close to 114 laws that have recognized against organized crime. The laws being in place their activities have not stopped in fact they continue to dominate a large part of Italy’s political and social structure.

Cultura D’Italia

When one talks about Italy, the stills in my mind play out like a movie, architecture, food, motorcycles on the cobblestoned roads, fine dining and all. And of course the timeless beauty of the Sistine chapel, the Vatican City and the ever resent beauty of Florence and Venice is all part of Italy’s diverse culture.  It’s no surprise Italy has been dubbed one of the most eloquent and beautiful country in the world. It definitely has a top priority on my list of places to visit.

Who would not want to feel the romance in the tone of the language?  Or be immersed in tasting the finest of wines all day long, or be spoilt at the world’s largest fashion capital or just be floored by its magnificent architecture? At some point in time we in some way or another have marveled at the beauty of this country and wished we were right there to witness it in full shape and form, I know I have. Be it in the movie ‘Under the Tuscan Sun’ or in the soothing voice of Domencio Mugdugno’s ‘Volare’. Italy is pure romance.

Italy like India is rich in its cultural heritage. The Italians take pride in their culture and heritage. They cherish and boast of a rich culture and are more than pleased to pass on their legacy to the generations that follow. Italian culture is one of the oldest there is; it draws influence from Roman and Greek mythology. Italy as we know it today came to be in the 19^th century before that it was ruled by a number of ethnic groups like the Romans, Jews and Germans.  Italy has been the birthplace of Roman Catholicism, western civilization as also renaissance. Although Italian culture began several years before the birth of Jesus the actual expansion of Italy began during the Renaissance. The renaissance led to a revolution worldwide, people across the globe ushered in this change and began to appreciate art, literature, philosophy poetry etc. the renaissance was the birth place for what today we term as works of art like the Sistine Chapel, the painting of Mona Lisa, The Last Supper etc.

Science also flourished during the renaissance period. Galileo Galilei's contributed greatly to astronomy. The famous physicist, Fermi studied the Quantum Theory, while matters related to electric battery was taken care of by Volta. Mathematicians like Lagrange and Fabonacci, Nobel laureates like Marconi who invented the radio and Antonio Mencci contributed immensely towards the cultural development of  Italy.

Italy throughout the ages has been ruled by a diverse mix of people from around the world. These people were not welcomed by the Italians however over the years a lot of the customs of these conquerors became a part of the Italian culture. For example a number of the festivals celebrated in Sicily are Spanish in origin. The Italian population is also very diverse, there has been an intermingling of different groups of people from all across the globe, some of them are the Greeks, Albanians, French, Africans and Arabs. All these different ethnic groups have been living together in this beautiful region. Proofs to this- around 6 million people in the region are foreigners.

The intermixing of different people from different regions of the world has led to varied customs and religions. About 90% of Italy’s population is Roman Catholic, the rest Jews, along with some Muslims and orthodox and eastern rite Catholics. The diverse religious groups have also led to a healthy mix of traditions and customs. The people believe in evil eye, witchcraft, charms, spells etc. today however because of the modernization of society these practices now exist below the surface and are practiced on the quite. In more ways than one the culture of Italy is very much like that of India. The similarities exist in the love for food, the religious beliefs and the attitude of the people. The Italian culture since its inception has contributed greatly towards world culture and has revolutionized the way the world looks at art, literature, film etc.  

Trishann Henriques

Italian Fashion: Where it all began.

Fashion as we know of it today would not be the same without the influence of its Italian designers on the global scene. The 11^th century saw the beginning of fashion in Italy. Rome, Milan, Florence were the fashion capitals of the country at that time. Milan is to date the biggest fashion capital of the world. Showcasing runway shows in Milan is even today considered a prestigious affair.

The fashion scene in Italy began in the 1950’s when Giovanni Battista Giorgini showcased a fashion show that was deemed a huge success. He opened the doors of his palace for the fashion show, where a variety of his works were showcased. The guests included the nobility of the region like counts, princesses etc who because of their education and background could afford and understand fashion. The items of clothing were worn by these rich and the famous people of society mainly in the confines of their homes and at social events.  Designing comprised of tailoring robes and capes that was at that time worn  by both men and women. It could be clearly sad that fashion then was a status symbol.

Haute couture meaning high fashion and avant-garde meaning anything diverse and experimental in art were terms that were first used in Italy. Today almost all high fashion houses not only in Italy but even France have the Haute Couture attached to their brand names.  Gucci, Versace, Prada, Bulgari were some of the labels that introduced the world to haute couture, later other brands like Chanel, Yves Saint Laurent etc followed course. Haute Couture is a special line of clothing that is custom made and exquisite. In the 60’s and 70’s with the boom of industries the fashion became more accessible to the masses, everyone started dressing up stylishly. The exclusive haute couture that was limited only to the crème d’la crème of society gave way to prêt-a-porter meaning ready to wear. This was more affordable as were they easily accessible by all classes of society.

While fashion was being revolutionized in Italy there were other countries across the world that were beginning to bring fashion to the forefront, some of them were France, Great Britain and the USA.  However the fashion in Italy was a class apart from the rest. Today Italy along with its luxury clothing designers is also home to some of the big designers making handbags and shoes, they are Ermenegildo Zegna, Tusardi etc. In the beginning of the 20th century however Paris picked up pace and became the new  fashion capital of the world. Italy soon began competing with French fashion house like Chanel, Christian Dior and Yves Saint Laurent. However soon the French the lost its monopoly and was replaced by more modern fashion designers like Calvin Klein, Tommy Hilfiger from the USA.

It was after Paris’s loss of market globally and its replacement with American designers in the 1950’s that Italy once again became prominent in the global fashion arena. It came to be recognized more for its ‘art of the craft’ or ‘atelier’ as the Italians would call it. Even today the most exquisite shoes are handbags are made in Italy and are considered the best in quality.

Italian fashion also began to explode internationally. In the USA there was inspiration being drawn from Italian designers and their work. The work of Great Italian designers like Ferragamo, Gucci, Valentino, Versace etc soon started becoming part of mainstream American cinema.

A ‘Made in Italy’ tag on clothes, shoes and jewelry is even today considered a sign of luxury and of being the best in quality. Today Italian fashion house hold their own and compete with major fashion stores from USA and France. Italian craftsmanship, style and luxury are what give meaning to the ‘Made in Italy’ label and gives it a more of a competitive edge in the world market. 

Trishann Henriques