Dire Addio a Milano

The first assignment given to us for our blogs, was to show how we see Milan.  I made a Prezi presentation of pictures I found on google.  Really not knowing how I picture Milan, it was all I could do.  Now that I have lived here for a month, I am able to show you what the Milan lifestyle means to me.  And this time, I'll be showing you through my very own photos.

I wasn’t exactly sure what to expect on this trip.  It’s true when they say, “fashion changes every day.”  Every single day plans were changed, canceled, and rescheduled.  I don’t know how we managed to fit everything into just 1 month.  We saw and accomplished so much and I’m proud to be able to say I was here experiencing everything first hand. 

Picturing Milan in my mind before we came, all I thought about was the Alp Mountains, pasta, and mopeds.  A little corny I know, but I have never been to Europe.  Sadly, I never got to see the Alps, but I saw so much more.  Ladies drove the mopeds in 4-inch Manolo Blahnik’s, the Duomo di Milano was like something I’ll never be able to describe to anybody and the pizza and pasta makes me never want to eat an American meal again.  Milano is a beautiful place where the people dress just as beautifully.  I am so grateful for all of the experiences that have come my way and will never forget a single day that I was here.  I would love to live here one day, even if it is only for a little while, it truly is la bella vita.

Milan is very fast-pace but very relaxed at the same time.  Nobody is trying to get internet, or running around with a Blackberry attached to their hand.  Milanese people have siesta in the afternoon, and take their time enjoying their life and loved ones.  The culture here is incredible and very different from that of America.  When I picture Milan, I will forever picture the bold clothing everybody wears, and the way everything just shuts down in the middle of the afternoon.  Everything about Milan is beautiful.

We didn’t just experience the Italian culture first hand, but also the Italian fashion industry.  We had great opportunities such as: visiting the Vogue offices, a Vogue photo shoot, White Sposa, White Sposa Magazine, Vladimiro Gioia’s factory, the Pink & Chic offices, some fashion institutes, numerous museums, 3 fashion shows, Pitti Market, and much more.  The things we have seen and experiences we have been given are priceless and helped all of us grow.  Hearing about so many different aspects of the fashion industry really makes you think about where you want to go in your career. 

 

Because of this trip, I now know what I want to do, and have a greater understanding of what that entails.  I want to be a buyer, just like I always have, but also would love to work on the PR side of the industry for a period of my career.  I know the hard work I will have to put in to reach my goals, and am excited to start doing so.

The Last Supper

Today we got to go see Leonardo da Vinci’s Last Supper.  It was amazing to see an artifact like that.  It is such a famous work of art and you can really see why.  The painting takes up the entire wall and takes your breath away. The attention to detail is just nothing less than outstanding.

Upon entering the room where the Last Supper is located, you have to go through a series of small rooms.  The doors will close around you while they blow air on you to get any particles off of your body that could possibly destroy the painting.  After going through about three rooms, you finally enter the room with the Last Supper.  The Last Supper represents Jesus Christ and his twelve apostles.  In Leonardo da Vinci’s interpretation of this scene, Christ has just told his apostles that one of them will betray him.  This is why in the painting all of the apostles look confused and have un-calm body language.  You also notice that “John” has a very feminine appearance in the painting and is said to actually be Mary Magdalene.

On the wall opposite from The Last Supper is another painting.  This second painting is the Crucifixion, which was created by Giovanni Donato Montorfano.  It was just incredible to see how these works of art can be restored and enjoyed today.

Cultural Assignment #3 - Four Stores

Outside of Angela Caputi Giuggiu

The purpose of being sent to all four stores was to experience the different types of retail stores that Italy has to offer. We were sent to a textile store (Lisa Corti), a home goods store (Bellora), a jewelry boutique (Angela Caputi), and a high-end glass boutique (Venini). We felt that all of the stores are considered specialty shops that you wouldn’t go to unless you knew of them. They may have a few other stores in different areas but they all gave off the feeling of a specialty boutique. Another commonality between the stores was their use of all hand-crafted merchandise using natural materials. In addition the stores were green companies.

Outside of Lisa Corti

 

            With the trend of going green, these stores would most definitely fit into the American culture. Through their use of natural materials and limited production, they offer an exclusive product. In order for these stores to move into the American culture they would need to pay special attention to the location of their store and the market of the area. Upon entering the US market these stores need to stay consistent with their appearance of a boutique, their standard of quality, and Italian culture.

Outside of Venini

            The impact on the industry is mainly coming from the traditional production method of their goods. Not only is the emphasis based on the quality, but on the visual presentation of the merchandise. Lisa Corti did not only offer quality merchandise in her textile emporium, but also in her high quality showroom. Within this showroom she allows up and coming designers to show their work.   All of the locations were created in minimalistic way to further allow the emphasis to be placed on the merchandise.

Outside of Bellora

            All of the stores were unique in their own way. We were glad that we got the opportunity to visit all of them and learn more about the quality standards that are offered in Italy.

Istituto Carlo Secoli - Fashion School

Today we got to visit one of the fashion schools here in Milano.  It was called Istituto Carlo Secoli and we were able to speak to the President, Stefano Secoli.  Before we began speaking we got to watch a runway show which is the final project given to each student before they graduate.  They are given a theme and asked to create eight pieces to contribute to the show.  It was amazing to see what some of the students have come up with.

Stefano Secoli spoke to us about the difference between industry and atelier.  Industry refers to the pret-a-poter market (ready-to-wear), while atelier refers to haute couture.  Designers and stylist have to find a balance between what they both want in order to create a great fashion show with pieces that are both affordable and wearable.  I also learned about how problems occur in the production stage of products.  This is where most errors occur because most of the time, production is done by an outside source.  In order to avoid any miscommunications, designers need to find a link between them and their production company.  Mr. Secoli stresses this link to his students and teaches them how to create it.

While we were taking a tour of the school we saw many classrooms with students sewing and working on patterns.  All I could think of was Apparel Quality Analysis.  This is a course I took at Johnson and Wales and was asked to create a dress.  Luckily, I was given a pattern to follow, but sizing garments and putting them together isn't as simple as one may think.  It took a lot of work, a lot of patience, and a lot of bandaids.  In the end, I was chosen to model my groups finished product.  The dress we created could never compare to the pieces that the students at this school were creating.  The work they produced was so amazing and much more advanced.  I don't want to be a designer, but I would love to be able to produce work of that quality someday.

White Sposa Magazine

Yesterday, we took a trip over to White Sposa magazine.  Seeing the differences between them and some of the other bridal magazines they compete with was amazing.  Hands down, they should have no competition.  Their product is unique, ahead of it's time, and over all better.  They put thought into everything, including the quality of their paper.  I also thought it was interesting to see how they always leave the first two pages of every single issue blank.  They do this to show what the theme of the entire magazine is going to be.  It is very expensive for magazines to leave blank pages inside of an issue.  White Sposa has made a clear statement that they are more concerned about the quality of their work and in the long run they know they "won't disappear because they are not commercial."

There was one particular issue that was produced that stood out to me more than the rest.  In this issue White Sposa decided to use only Italian photographers and fashion to showcase what Italy has to offer.  This is very uncommon and very unique.  I thought it was a nice tribute.

White Sposa made it clear they would love to expand into the United States, and I would love to see them their one day.  They are a top bridal magazine and continue to grow.  Even though they have been forced to make some cuts because of the economy, they have maintained the same high quality for lower prices.

Tempo Libero

This weekend was a free weekend to sleep in and explore.  It was nice to not be worried about getting somewhere for a certain time.  We could just get lost and find new stores and figure out how to get home at our own convenience.  I was really excited to explore around Duomo.  I know I’ve been there almost every day, but I always go down the same main road, so this weekend I decided to break that path and explore the side streets.  I found a ton of new stores and some great places to eat. 

This weekend we were also assigned a cultural assignment.  We were given four store names and had to find them.  Finding the addresses was simple, but locating them on the map was a little more of a challenge.  Once we knew where we were going we all decided to go together as a group.  All four of the stores were closed when we got there, but we were able to look inside and they all looked really interesting.  Very different from stores we see in the United States, but could find their niche in our market if they were to go international.  There are no department stores here in Milan.  So small stores such as these are where you people would have to go for home goods.  We don’t see this to often in the states,  this is why I think that the stores we saw that had home goods, can really find their niche and do well if they were to go international. 

Pitti Cultural Assignment

Christine doesn’t like bright colors because with her pale skin, they don’t look good.  So she sticks to neutral colors.  Color is only used in her accessories.  As a buyer, she would be hesitant to purchase a brightly colored garment because she would picture it on herself, and it would not look good.  Christine also observed buyers were trying clothes on, maybe for fit, or just to see how it looked on them.  If the garment doesn’t look good on them, they might be tentative to purchase it.  Trying the garments on would only be effective if they were only concerned with fit and shaping. 

In Kim’s opinion, it’s hard to mess up a nice button-down shirt.  However, she found the elbow patch details on the shirts very unappealing.  A subtle plaid button down shirt is a nice casual to semi-dressy style, but adding the elbow patches is trying to make it something that it shouldn’t be.  A nice corduroy blazer with elbow patches looks great on a salt-and-pepper haired gentleman, but on a frat boy in a pink plaid button down shirt it just doesn’t work. 

Bobbie’s personal self-reference criterion is when men wear matching plaid on plaid.  While at Pitti, we all noticed how many suits were solid plaid patterns and the pants matched the jacket perfectly.  She might be a little weary to buy both pieces together as a set.  But seeing that it is in-fact a current trend, she would have to get past her own opinions to give her customer what they want.

Brittany does not like feminine patterns on men’s clothing.  Floral patterns have become a major trend in men’s fashion.  While she loves a good floral print dress, she can not see a floral button down or suit on a male.  She recognizes that European males are more accepting of a feminine style, wearing feminine colors and patterns.  But in the United States, males are not as willing to show their softer sides through fashion.  While bright colors and patterns are welcomed at Pitti, a trade show in America may have more muted, masculine neutrals instead.

Q does not like harem pants.  She feels like the groin area is too long and it is uncomfortable against the skin; it chafes.  Added to the chafing, the pants just look awkward if not worn correctly; they are not for every body type. Here in Europe, they are a big trend, both male and female.  As a buyer, Q would have to put how she feels about the pants to side and buy into the trend.

Despite our own personal prejudices, we’re aware of the current trends and will put our SRC’s aside for the benefit of the customer.  We are aware of our aversions to certain colors, patterns, and fabrics but agree that our customer’s needs come first.  As a buyer, it is necessary to remove these personal prejudices from the buying process.  

Orietta - Fashion Forecaster

Yesterday we finally got to meet Orietta.  She is a trend forecasting and I was very excited to see what she could teach us.  When I took my retail seminar and lab class we got a chance to visit Cotton Inc. in New York City and they taught us all about how they forecast trends.  It was such an amazing experience and I was very interested in comparing the differences in the way we forecast in the United States to they way they do it here in Italy.

The two had a lot of similarities.  Both places talked about how their jobs require a lot of traveling and how they don’t just look at current trends to decide future trends.  They took notes and pictures about food, world events, lifestyles, all sorts of things.  But what I never realized is how many different areas of forecasting you can get involved in.  I guess since I’m so interested in fashion, that is the only area I have thought about, but there are so many different things you can forecast.  For example: furniture, planes, bicycles, and more.  It was interesting to see a little insight into each of these areas as well.

And The Winner Is....

The other night was the much-anticipated event for none other than Vladimiro Gioia himself.  I wasn’t sure what to expect, I haven’t really been too sure what to expect this entire trip.  But it was everything I could have ever asked for.

We went to Lotvs, where there was a little cocktail hour set up and the winner was announced.  (Congratulations Annie).  And we got to talk to Maria, Vladimiro, and his brother.  It isn’t always the easiest to communicate to Vladimiro but it was nice to be able to try.

The greatest thing about events like these is just getting to talk to people in the industry.  Maria told me all about herself and her work that night.  I also wanted to make sure to attempt to talk to Vladimiro and his brother once again.  They didn’t understand me to much but they tried their hardest to carry on a conversation.  (A lot of nodding on both ends.)

I am so grateful for all of the opportunities we have had on this trip.  Everyone really went above and beyond.  The Professors, Maria, Fashion Times, everyone really put in their all and it showed.  This has been such an amazing trip so far and seems like a great way to begin everyone’s career on their chosen path.

Art vs. Fashion:

Art:  I found this pattern on the side of Palazzo Reale.  It's just a piece of the wall you can find in the entry way of the building.

Fashion:  Jenny Lee.  Bridal Spring/Summer 2012.  This particular collection appears to be inspired by romantic details such as flowers, ruffles, and lace.

Interpretation: You can clearly see the similarities between the beading on this wedding dress and the stone from the wall.  Both have leaves and make almost the same pattern.  The inspiration from this collection was drawn from romantic details and flowers, and leafy designs such as this wall may have been a factor as well.

Works Cited:

• "Image Library." Style Sight. N.p., n.d. Web. 23 June 2011. <http://0-www.stylesight.com.helin.uri.edu/search/search.php#%7B%22start%22%3A%200%2C%20%22limit%22%3A%2050%2C%20%22f_limit%22%3A%205%2C%20%22q%22%3A%20%22%22%2C%20%22facets%5B%5D%22%3A%20%5B%22classif_name%7C19097%22%2C%20%22season%7C131045%22%5D%7D
• "Jenny Lee Spring 2012 Bridal Dresses | Wedding Dress | Bridal hairstyles| 2011 trends| Vera Wang gowns| Rings | Color." Wedding Dress | Bridal hairstyles| 2011 trends| Vera Wang | color | gowns | Rings. N.p., n.d. Web. 25 June 2011. <http://thebeautybridal.com/2466/jenny-lee-spring-2012-bridal-dresses.html>.

NABA

Today is all about catch up.  I'm just sitting at NABA reflecting back on everything we've been doing and thinking about what I like most in this industry.  Everyone keeps asking us what we want to do, where we want to live, and what part of the industry do we like best.  And up until now I've always been pretty undecided on all of these questions.  This trip already has paid for itself.  It has given all of us such a greater insight to so many different aspects of the retail life after college.

Even though I wasn't exactly sure what I wanted to do, I have always leaned towards being a buyer.  I'm not to sure the exact reason; I'm really good at math and the job description always seemed to be interesting and fun to me.  After being here in Milano for about three weeks, I'm not prepared to totally take being a buyer off the table, but I have some other thoughts in mind as well.  I realized how much I love the PR side of the industry as well.  Which is something I have never even considered at home.  Everything about it seems so fast pace, a lot of work for sure, but work I would love to do.  Instead of just working my way up the corporate ladder to hold a position as a buyer, I now think I want to work my way "around" the corporate ladder and see where I end up.  I would still like to hold a buyer position one day.  But I don't mind if it takes me a while to get there.  I want to do so many other things as well.  And I definitely want to live here in Milano for at least a brief chapter of my life.  I feel as if I fit in here and I truly do love this city. It took a week or so to adjust and get used to all of the differences between here and the States, but now that I have adjusted there isn't any other place I would rather be.

I'm learning so much and am so grateful (tired, but grateful) for all of the opportunities that have come my way.  How many students my age can say they have witnessed a Vogue fashion shoot or even seen a real runway show.  It's just incredible.  I would have to say that as to date my favorite thing about this trip is that I am not only learning so much about the industry, but also about myself.  This trip is giving me direction for my life, and that is something I would have never gotten spending the summer in Connecticut.

Men's Fashion Week!

Yesterday we got a chance to go to two fashion shows and even an after party.  The first fashion show was by Gazzarrini.  The second show and after party were both hosted by Enrico Coveri.  The venue for the first show was just amazing.  It was at some sort of boat and plane museum and seemed to go perfectly with the show.  It seemed as though at least part of the inspiration came from boats and a nautical look, and even the colors of the clothing just fit in with the colors around us.

I was especially excited for Enrico Coveri’s show today only because it also included women’s clothing.  There was a well-balanced mix of both men and women and there was an array of bright colors throughout the entire show.  I loved how the designer wasn’t afraid to use bold, 70’s inspired patterns.  He would also take colors from the bold patterns to make pieces to mix into the entire collection.  There was so much color everywhere you looked, but it was done in a high-fashion way.

I don’t think any course I have taken could have prepared me for witnessing something like this.  I have never taken any event classes and retail classes alone don’t require fashion show sets.  In many retail classes we have been asked to use the Pantone website.  I’m sure the designers themselves don’t use this website when making their collection.  But I can only imagine that this website comes from watching runway shows such as the two we saw today.  First the designers make the clothes, and then it slowly trickles down in the retail industry.  So I’m hoping that when looking on Pantone’s website for clothing trends and colors for 2012 or ever 2013, I will see things such as what I saw today.

ICEBERG CATWALK!

Today we got to go to an actual fashion show!  I would have never imagined that I would have the opportunity to see a real fashion show, let alone one in Milano.  It was everything I imagined and then some.  Since it is mens fashion week we saw a show featuring men's clothing.  I could not have asked for more.  There were so many looks for us to see and one of the students in our group even got to stand with the press and take pictures for fashiontimes.com.

I know everything in the fashion industry is so fast pace, but I didn't expect the runway shows to be the same way.  It's the only chance the designer has to relax and enjoy his work.  And before you know it it's over.  All I could think about is when I took a course called Apparel Quality Analysis.  In this class I actual had to make my very own dress.  It took me the full course time (about 10 weeks) to complete, and that was with help.  That also didn't involve any of the design process either.  I'm sure this designer had much more help in the production stage, but none the less needed more time in the design stage.  After all his hard working producing all of these new looks, and about 20 minutes is all he has to enjoy.

It was fast but exciting.  The models came out and strutted down the runway with such a fierce attitude.  It was enough to take your breath away.  I don't think I would ever have an interest in designing.  But I would love to sit front row, taking notes as a buyer, and planning out which looks to buy for my store.

One fashion show was enough to please us all I'm sure.  But a couple hours after, we got a phone call inviting all of us to 2 more shows for tomorrow. 2!!  Enrico Coveri is the second show we will be attending  and apparently Coveri has been following our web reality project through Fashion Times website and is excited to have us all at the show.  Can't wait for tomorrow.  Fashion never stops!

Art vs. Fashion: Contemporary Art Museum

Art:  This is a column I found while walking around the Contemporary Art Museum.  The second I saw it I pictured some kind of pleated skirt or dress in my mind and new it would be perfect for this assignment.  The column is so beautiful and you can tell a lot of hard work went into it, just like the hard work going into our fashion trends today.

Fashion:  Doo Ri.  Cruise/Resort 2012.  I believe the designer was inspired by color and movement while creating this particular collection.

Interpretation:  This dress seems like its inspiration was taken right from the column above.  The way the pleats fall line up perfectly next to the lines down the column.  Also at the top of the column we see the lines come to an end where the gold piece of art begins.  I compared this to the empire waistline in the dress.

Works Cited:

• "HELIN /All Locations." Helin Library Catalog. N.p., n.d. Web. 20 June 2011. <http://www.stylesight.com.helin

Fashion vs. Art: Salvatore Ferragamo

Art:  This artifact is one of the many stained glass windows found in the cathedral, Santa Maria Nascente; which is located in Duomo di Milano.

Fashion:  This is called the Iride shoe by Salvatore Ferragamo and was designed between 1930 and 1936.

Interpretation:  The window has so many different colors shining throughout it just like the shoe does.  There were many other shoes designed by Ferragamo that gave off the same stained glass feel, but I choose this specific shoe because between each color we see solid black lines, just like the black rods in the window.

Works Cited:

• " Google Image Result for http://www.bikk2.com/wp-content/uploads/auto_save_image/2011/05/0649441BD.jpg."Google. N.p., n.d. Web. 20 June 2011. <http://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://www.bikk2.com/wp-content/uploads/auto_save_image/2011/05/0649441BD.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.bikk2.com/page/32&usg=__WGakowHk8dlaOT3_dedKNLRqyPQ=&h=388&w=500&sz=45&hl=en&start=0&zoom=1&tbnid=vofRGrYiK9rzZM:&tbnh=125&tbnw=158&ei=n0T_TdbzM8fKsga2xbzuDQ&itbs=1&iact=hc&vpx=120&vpy=79&dur=900&hovh=198&hovw=255&tx=109&ty=94&page=1&ndsp=30&ved=1t:429,r:0,s:0&biw=1280&bih=680

Art vs Fashion: Public Gardens of Milano

Art:  This is a flower I found while walking around the public garden in Milan.  It was so beautiful and there were many different kinds of flowers and colors all around to pull inspiration from.  I choose this particular flower because of the contrast in colors and the way they are attached.

Fashion:  Oscar de la Renta.  Haute Couture Spring/Summer 2011.  Paris.  I found these earrings through stylesight.com.  Looking through the entire collection you can clearly see that the designer was inspired by flowers and pearls.  I feel it is a very romantic collection and perfect for the given season.

Interpretation:  I can clearly see that Oscar de la Renta drew inspiration from flowers such as the ones I found in the garden.  Not only are they the same color, but they are also grouped together in the same sort of fashion.  Also the rhinestone in the middle shines and sticks out just like the yellow center of the flowers.

Works Cited:

• "Image Library." Style Sight. N.p., n.d. Web. 20 June 2011. <http://0-www.stylesight.com.helin.uri.edu/search/search.php#%7B%22start%22%3A%200%2C%20%22limit%22%3A%2050%2C%20%22f_limit%22%3A%205%2C%20%22q%22%3A%20%22%22%2C%20%22facets%5B%5D%22%3A%20%5B%22classif_name%7C19097%22%2C%20%22season%7C123354%22%5D%7D

White Sposa

After a day like today, I’m sure all of us are considering a career in the bridal industry.  We went to White Sposa and it was stunning.  Of course the wedding dresses themselves would have been enough to satisfy all of us for the day, but we actually got to meet and talk to some of the vendors.  They were all very nice and seemed very passionate about their lines.  One of the designers even had a model show us five of her looks.  A lot of the designers today also made sure to tell us that their product was one hundred percent Italian made. 

I thought it was really interesting that they didn’t just show white or ivory dresses.  When we went to the textile factory they told us they specifically only show black samples because it is what sells the best.  So one would assume that the bridal designers would show white because that is their best seller.  Instead they show whatever they have to offer and the most colorful options possible.  The buyers don’t have to buy the product in these colors; they can get them in white as well.  But they are shown in color to make them stand out and show the buyers the new unique looks and what they have to offer.

Everything we saw today is being sold for the upcoming Fall/Winter season.  Amazingly we were allowed to take pictures, which is something that doesn't happen very often in this industry.  Unfortunately we can't share any pictures with the public at this time, but the pictures don't do these dresses justice anyways.

Rilassatevi e Odorare le Rose

Today was a very much-needed relaxing day.  We got the opportunity to walk around the Public Gardens of Milan.  It was so beautiful and so peaceful.  I could definitely picture myself living in Milan and going to the park to get some work done and just get away from the big city feel for a little while.  Everything is so fast pace in this city but the second you enter those fences to the garden, you can just take a minute and breathe.

Florence – Salvatore Ferragamo

Salvatore Ferragamo was am amazing shoe designer who had a passion for what he did.  My favorite part was just seeing all of the different wooden molds Salvatore had.  He made one for each star so that he could make the shoes to fit their feet and had them each sign their own mold. He really got to know women and see what they wanted and made different types of shoes for different stars.  For example, he made ballet flats for Audrey Hepburn and stilettos for Marilyn Monroe.  

I was so happy that they were able to give us a tour and really able to tell us some history behind the shoes and the designer himself.  I enjoyed hearing about how instead of using crocodile after the Second World War; Ferragamo would use things like fish skin to try and save money and produce shoes for a lower price.  He also did things like substitute steel with cork to create the ever so famous wedge sandal.  His styles were so impressive but you can tell Ferragamo had an interest in not only making things that were beautiful, but also affordable.

Salvatore Ferragamo got his inspiration from all different places, cultures, and people.  He has accomplished so much on his own.  After his death in 1970, his wife and children have taken over his business to create more than just shoes.  Under his name they are now producing all kinds of accessories and things for men as well.  He was such an amazing man and looking at all of his work, especially the prototypes, is an honor in itself.

Florence – Pitti Market

While we were visiting Florence we got a chance to visit Pitti Market.  It happened to be men’s fashion week so almost all of the clothing was for men.  There were a few things for women and a lot of accessories as well.  Everything being sold was for Spring/Summer 2012.  I have never been to a trade show before and wasn’t quite sure what to expect.  But I do want to be a buyer so was very excited to check it out.  As the Professors purchased our tickets, I sat and watched people walking in to observe how they dressed.  The dress was what I like to call “Italian Casual.”  It’s not what we would consider casual in the United States; to us it’s more business casual.  But it is a dressed down look here in Italy.   I also noticed the men seemed to be a little bit more professional than the women did.  All in all, everyone looked very chic and ready to shop.

When we walked into the first tent I was just in awe.  I didn’t know where to go or where to look; it was a little overwhelming at first.  I was very interested in watching the relationship between the buyer and the vendor.  I noticed that a lot of them have very close relationships, which seems vital in this industry.  It’s all about whom you know.  Watching the relationships grow and even the whole vibe of the market just reconfirmed that being a buyer is truly what I would love to do.  It looked so exciting, running around and finding what you need for your stores.  It seemed exciting, but also very stressful.  I noticed that there were many areas around Pitti where you could just relax.  You could get drinks, food, candy, whatever you needed to help you distress.  Take a minute to sit down (away from the vendors) re-energize, and then go in another tent back into all of the chaos.  These lounge areas seemed vital to make it through the day.  Some buyers can run in, get what they need and run out.  And others may take all day.  No longer how long you need to find the right pieces, its nice to know that you’ll have a place to rest.

Florence – Free day

Walking around today, I just tried to absorb the culture and see the difference between Florence and Milan.  Florence is so beautiful and more of a country side while Milan is the big city feel.  But I have to say, I expected the people who live in Florence to be nicer than those that live in Milan.  I was completely wrong.  Nobody slows down when you’re crossing the street (if anything they speed up).  And they don’t even step to one side of the sidewalk while passing by.  Instead they walk straight through you and never look back.  It took a little getting used to, but once you get used to it and learn to stand your own ground, its not all that bad.

10 Corso Como

 Along with our cultural assignment, we were given a bonus assignment to attempt to decode. All day we were trying to figure out what exactly this clue meant, “Not just a bull’s eye in a different color, but a completely different concept of retailing. If you find one, you need to find another”. It didn’t make any sense to us at first.  We walked around all day trying to find targets and bags or just anything we could find to give us clues.  Not even the people who are from Milan could help us; everyone just sent us to the fashion district thinking we just wanted to buy a new tote bag. Then we saw a girl carrying a bag that had the same target symbol on it that we were looking for.  The bag said 10 Corso Como on the side and the second we saw that, we knew where to go. 

The entire trip our Professors have been stressing about a discrete hole in the wall shop that they just adored.  Hearing Professor St. Jean bring this up multiple times, Kim decided to look it up and draw herself a little map.  The second she pulled a map out of her bag and said she knew where to go; the entire energy of our group immediately changed to excitement.  We all got so happy and immediately looked at another map to figure out how to get there.  We got there as fast as we could out of excitement. When we reached Corso Como we asked the first person we saw if they recognized the bull’s eye symbol. He immediately directed us to an entrance to what seemed like a garden. However, when we walked in the clue was perfectly clear.

10 Corso Como is comprised of a luxury brand retail space along with a trendy café. After we perused the store we decided we deserved a celebratory cup of cappuccino.  While relaxing we stumbled upon a map that led us to the outlet store that was only about a block or two away.  We quickly finished our coffee and bolted to the outlet.  This proved more difficult to find then the store itself but that didn’t stop us! It was such an amazing feeling of accomplishment to have been the first team to find the bonus!

 -At the Outlet!

Cultural Assignment #1: The Rondanini Pieta

COur clue for our cultural assignment was “One of the two influential men of the Renaissance began a creative work but he has not finished creating it. The piece is safe in this fortress”. Our first stop on our bus tour yesterday was at Castello Sforzesco. Walking into the castle we saw a sign for the Michelangelo exhibit. We immediately made the connection that Michelangelo was a very influential man in the renaissance era. Upon entering the gift shop, we showed one of the women who worked there our clue. She quickly got excited at the fact that it was a riddle that needed to be solved. She pointed at a bookmark that showed a Michelangelo sculpture that was currently being featured in the museum. She told us that if we go through the museum we would find the exhibit in the last room. When we finally got to the last room of the exhibit we quickly found out that we weren’t allowed to take pictures in the exhibition room. In our broken English we tried to plead with the guide to let us take a picture but she wouldn’t budge. The best we could do was exit the exhibit and take a picture with one the guides and the pamphlet for the sculpture. We also took a picture with our group with one of the posters for the exhibit that was outside the museum.

The sculpture, The Rondanini Pieta, was started by Michelangelo while he was nearing his ninetieth year of age. The sculpture depicts Christ being held by his mother, Mary. He passed his work onto his servant, Antonio del Francese but the sculpture was never finished. It is evident that in the early stages of the sculpture, Michelangelo began carving Christ leaning much further forward, separate from his mother. He then changed his mind and began carving Christ closer to Mary so that their heads were touching. Evidence of this is seen in the left arm and legs of Christ that have similarly honed surfaces. He also changed his mind to the positioning of Mary’s face, evidence can be seen in the right eye and beginning of a nose on the upper right portion of the existing face.

Off To Florence

Today we went to a textile factory and got to see the whole process on how everything is designed and made.  They let us take a look at their collection for Fall/Winter.  It was interesting to see that everything was black but it made sense because black is their best seller.  I never really thought about how designers needed to pick the fabrics, but looking around in my head I would say, "this fabric would be perfect for a peacoat" and things like that.  I'm sure thats exactly what the designers do as well.  Seeing the design process was my favorite part.  They showed us the computers and the room where all the designs are created.  After that we walked down to the factory with the looms.  It was so loud, I would never be able to work there.  But they had a screen that kept the noise out of the rest of the building and it surprisingly worked pretty well.

After seeing and hearing about the company we finally made it to Florence.  It is so beautiful here I wish we could stay longer than just four days.  When we were first going to Milan I had an image in my head of what I thought Italy would be like.  Florence is exactly what I pictured.  We had a little bit of time to explore and find the shops before meeting with the group again.  It was great, I can't wait to explore some more!

Art vs. Fashion: Castello Sforzesco

Art:  This is a table top I found in the castle.  It was made in 1865.  The table is mostly made of glass and marble.

Fashion:  Marc Jacobs.  Cruise/Resort 2012.  This collection is filled with pieces that have a lot of movement and it seems as if Marc Jacobs was inspired by floral patterns.  Most of the pieces have patterns whether it is a form of flower or a polka dot, it is very fun and exciting.

Interpretation:  I immediately saw a connection between the table top and this dress.  The pattern on the dress seems very similar to the pattern in between the circles on the table.  Also both pieces are perfectly symmetrical.  The dress has a pattern in-between the lines on the side and the table has its pattern in-between the circles.  Its possible Marc Jacobs' inspiration came from the late 1800's when this pattern was much more popular.

Works Cited:

• "Stylesight: Image Library."Stylesight. N.p., n.d. Web. 10 June 2011. <http://stylesight.com>.
• http://fashionshow-w.blogspot.com/2011/06/marc-by-marc-jacobs-cruiseresort-2012.html
• Castello Sfoezesco

Vladimiro Gioia

Finally!!! Today was the day we all got to go to Vladimiro's factory in Como and actually talk to him for the first time.  To be honest I don't really know what I was expecting but he far exceeded my expectations. He told us all about his design process and inspiration.  He also showed up his favorite fabrics (furs and leathers, anything natural) and showed us his designs.  The sketches truly spoke for themselves.  The way he mixes fabrics together is just so beautiful and chic.  It is luxury clothing and can be worn day or night.

When we were able to ask him questions I was really excited to ask about the internship.  I found out that the winner would mostly be working with Maria at Pink & Chic.  I was so excited to hear this.  This means that we will be working more on the PR side of the industry opposed to design, which is exactly what I want to do.  It sounded like we would be communicating everything between Vladimiro and Maria and be helping with all of the ideas.  Vladimiro is pretty hard to get ahold of with all of his constant traveling but it is definitely a challenge I am up for.  What am amazing opportunity, wish me luck!

Fashion vs. Art: Museo della Moda e del Costume

Art:  The mummy’s name is Peftau-auiset.  It is located in Milan, Italy, in Castello Sforzesco.  This particular mummy was donated to the Museum in 1830.

Fashion:  This dress was made for the production Salome.  It was made by Gianni Versace and is called Costume Mimo  The designers inspiration must have some from Salome itself.

 The second I saw this costume I immediately thought of the mummy from the castle.  The way the dress wraps around the body and even up over the man’s head.  Even the colors were similar in the fact that they are both so dark.  Also the texture of the dress reminded me of the layering around the mummy’s body.

Works Cited:

• "Mummy record." Pisa e l'Egitto. N.p., n.d. Web. 12 June 2011. <http://www.egittologia.unipi.it/frameset.asp?id=76>.
• Il teatro alla moda. Costume di scena. Grandi stilisti . Torino: Allemandi, 2011. Print.

10 Corso Como!!

Today we got our first assignment with our groups.  This is a cultural assignment and we are given a clue and need to find out what it is describing and take a picture in front of it.  In our case, our clue led us to The Rondanini Pieta, by Michelangelo.  This sculpture is amazing, you can see half of a face and tell that Michelangelo changed his mind and started another face on a different part of the head.  I wish I could have gotten a picture of it but no photos were allowed in this exquisite exhibit.  The Rondanini Pieta was located inside the Piazza Castello (a castle in Milan).  This was perfect because our group was taking a trip to the castle anyways.  The castle itself was pretty amazing and had a number of artifacts worth mentioning but I have to say, my favorite part was in-fact the Michelangelo exhibit.

After we saw the castle and our first item, we headed to the Museo della Moda e del Costume.  This is a costume museum with costumes made for operas and such events.  It was absolutely amazing.  We weren't allowed to take pictures in this place either so as a replacement I bought a book at the end.  The book has all of the costumes and also sketches; I love it!

Since my group found our assignment so early in the day, we decided to look for a bonus assignment.  I don't know how we got to it but after a couple hours we finally found 10 Corso Como and the outlet store to go along with it.  It was the cutest (very expensive) store I have ever seen.  It also had a little cafe and bar inside so we decided to hang out for a while until the rain stopped.  The outlet seemed to be just as expensive but I was able to find a pair of shoes for a decent price.  We were all so thrilled we were able to find this impossible location; it really is what made the day today.

Art vs. Fashion: Lake Como

Art:  This picture was taken on the North side of Lake Como.

Fashion:  Adolfo Dominguez.  Fall/Winter 2011.  Looking through this collection it seems as if the designer used autumn trees and plants as his inspiration.

Interpretation:  I interpreted Dominguez's dress into the crazy vines on the side of this building.  This is because the fabric on the dress seems to be very loose and in no particular order, just like the vines.  The vines will grow wherever they so choose and the dress flows as the model walks.  As a side note, I thought it was very interesting that Dominguez got his inspiration from plants just like the vines I interpreted into this dress.

Works Cited:

• "Stylesight: Image Library."Stylesight. N.p., n.d. Web. 10 June 2011. <http://stylesight.com>.
• "BEAUTY FESYEN2U: Spanish designer Adolfo Dominguez's ..Autumn/Winter 2011 collectionBEAUTY FESYEN2U."BEAUTY FESYEN2UBEAUTY FESYEN2U. N.p., n.d. Web. 10 June 2011. <http://beautyfesyen.blogspot.com/2011/04/spanish-designer-adolfo-dominguezs.html>.

Art vs. Fashion: Duomo

Art:  This is a small section of the roof on top of the Cathedral in Duomo Di Milano.  The Cathedral is called Santa Maria Nascente and  was completed in 1965.  I took this picture while I was venturing to the top of Duomo.

Fashion: Chado Ralph Rucci.  Cruise/Resort 2011.  Rucci has a reputation for making his collections with a city-chic day sort of feel; this style shown through fabulously in this particular collection.

Interpretation:  Everything at Duomo is so inspiring it was hard to narrow it down to just one photo.  I choose a picture of part of the roof because it make me thing of layering and bold lines, which are two huge trends in fashion today.  Everywhere you look you see examples of these trends.  For example, I choose an item from Rucci's Cruise/Resort wear collection in 2011.  I choose this item because of the way the shirt layers of the pants.  Also because of the bold solid lines, just like those on the roof.

Works Cited:

• "Stylesight: Image Library."Stylesight. N.p., n.d. Web. 10 June 2011. <http://stylesight.com>.
• "Chado Ralph Rucci Resort 2011 Collection on Style.com: Runway Review." Style.com: The Online Home of Fashion: News, Runway Shows, Trends, Fashion Models, Designers, Shopping, Beauty & More. N.p., n.d. Web. 10 June 2011. <http://www.style.com/fashionshows/review/2011RST-CHADO>.

The View From Heaven

Today started off with taking some videos with Fulvio.  He asked us why we thought Vladimiro should pick us to win the internship with him.  I was a nervous wreck to be honest.  I don't know why I was so nervous, Fulvio doesn't even speak english.  But I can't wait to see the finished product and hopefully it comes out well.  I will post the link soon so you can like the video to vote for me.

After the videos were done we finally took a tour of Duomo.  It was stunning.  Standing on the top of Duomo made me feel like I was on top of the world and nobody could pull me down.  It was such an amazing feeling.  I ended up walking down the stairs instead of taking the elevator down, and I have to say, there aren't nearly as many stairs as I had imagined.

Seeing the top was so beautiful but I could not wait to get inside.  The second I walked into the Cathedral I just felt at peace.  It was such an amazing feeling and so incredible.  I could never imagine going to an actual mass at Duomo, but I would love to given the chance.  When I was walking through the Cathedral I saw that they had some prayer candles.  I made a small donation and was actually able to light one of the prayer candles in my fathers memory.  It was just such a beautiful moment.  I don't even know how else to describe Duomo other than "at peace."

Il Più Grande Giorno

Today was by the far the best day I have had yet here in Milan.  We started off by taking a tour of the Vogue Italia offices and even got to walk inside of the Editor in Chief’s office.  Can you say speechless!!  Just being there was such a privilage in itself.  After a small lunch break we met again to see a photo shoot for Vogue.  I have never even thought about trying to have a career as a stylist or a photo editor but I have to say, after being on set today and feeling the vibe really makes me want to consider it.  I loved everything about being there.  The people, the energy, the fashion, need I say more?

We also attended a Tommy Hilfiger launch party tonight and I have to say it wasn’t at all what I was expecting.  It was nice and all but I was expecting a lot more people and didn’t expect the guests to be shopping around.  It was an interesting experience and I’m glad that I went but I don’t know if I would go again, given the chance.

Today was such a fantastic day and it is definitely going to be hard to beat.

Lago Di Como

Today we visited Museo Didattico Della Seta Como.  This is one of the silk museums right next to Lake Como.  The silk museum was interesting to see because I would have never pictured anybody doing that much work just to get a small square of fabric.  To be honest it just made me feel lazy.  Today we just put the color and pattern we want into a machine and all of the work is done for us.  I couldn’t even imagine hand drying my clothing; I would never be able to make a print onto silk.

After the silk museum we went to Lake Como.  It was beautiful and had plenty of shopping and eating.  It did rain a little bit but not enough to ruin the day.  The rain only lasted a small amount of time and the lake was so beautiful that it did not matter much at all.  We had a great day today and tomorrow we will be visiting Vogue Italia and also Tommy Hilfiger, I cannot wait to see what they will have in-store for us.

Tempo Per le Imprese

Today started with an in-depth orientation of what is expected of us.  I think for most of us it finally sunk it that we are going to be doing a lot of work while we are here in Milan.  It all seemed like work we would enjoy doing though.  Instead of just reading about things we will go to museums and see things and then have assignments based off of what we saw.  Later in the day we finally got to meet Maria from Pink & Chic.  What a fire ball!  She is quite honestly the cutest thing I have ever seen.  Not only is she adorable but  what she has accomplished is so amazing.  She started off with just an internship (just like us) and now owns her own, very established, PR company.  She seems very excited about her job and I could not believe how excited she was to meet us.  I thought she was doing us a favor and we were all so happy to meet her, but she was just as happy if not more.  She certainly is an inspiration.