expresso de milano: April 2011

sweet patriotic dress with Italian colours on button flower details

Aspesi paper bag with distinctive graphic art on front

On trend a colourful collection mixing stripes and florals .

I liked the prints, prices expensive in Euros

simple store lay out

paper coat back

front styling -

paper flowers

wonderful detail

Typical of forward thinking and talented Italian retailers, art plays an integral role in their marketing and image creation.

This pieces reminiscent of the 'Meanies' in Yellow Submarine by the Beatles was for sale

When staying in Torino (Turin) for a few days before Easter I came across this wonderful shop called Aspesi in the exclusive shopping area in the centre of this historic city. Not yet in the UK but already in other major european cities this store sells classic, stylish easy to wear clothes not dissimilar to Joseph or Paul Smith. The innovative window display caught my eye. I found out by chatting to the very helpful and friendly shop manager that the paper clothes had been created by the seamstresses in the Aspesi design office. The majority of the collection is made in Italy the minority made in India or China.
I noticed having visited the main retail fashion zones in Rome, Milan and Turin that there was a tendency to high light Italian origins through using the national colours of the Italian flag of green, white and red in the shop window displays. something that we the British could certainly do more of rather than waiting for a royal wedding occasion to do so. We should also get more manufacturing done back in the UK for top brands. It would surely be a great marketing asset to buy British - and make it synonymous with quality again ....
this is not a dig at Burberry!