Italy: The Fashion and Design Capital Of The World

You only have to whisper Italy and a certain glamour, fashion and luxury will immediately spring to mind. Italy and the Italian people have been known for centuries to be at the very forefront of fashion and design, and the city of Milan in particular is often called the fashion capital of Italy – and the rest of the world.

Indeed, Italy is one of the most respected fashion countries globally and is consistently on the front line of fashion and design: When Italian designers come out with a new collection or design – the rest of the world will follow.

Beauty and beautiful things have always been important to Italy and the Italians, with foundations in the early days of the Italian renaissance. For Italians, fashion isn’t just simply a way to dress. For the Italian people fashion is a true opportunity to express yourself and show your own uniqueness, personality and style. It’s not just what you wear – it’s part of your identity.

Italian women are by many considered some of the best dressed on the planet – and they aren’t afraid to stand out, experiment with looks and make a bold statement. “Real Italians care passionately about their appearance” as someone once said – it’s no surprise that fashion and design is the third biggest industry in Italy today.

More importantly, the Italian principals and values are combating an increasingly expanding problem: The problems that come with fast fashion; low quality products, millions of mass-produced identical items and design that is neither distinctive nor created with any kind of passion.

More than 50% of fast fashion produced is disposed of in under one year. Low-price and low-quality clothes have a low value to customers and are considered expendable. This mindset is a serious issue and not only contributes to global warming but also a cheap, disposable throw-away society.

It’s becoming more and more difficult for consumers to find unique, timeless and well-made pieces of true quality that will last for many years…

That is something we at Tesoro are passionate about changing. We whole heartedly believe fashion and design should be of outstanding quality and made with love and passion – the same love and passion us Italians are so renowned for.

So, how did this remarkable Italian infatuation with fashion and design come about?

The country has always been known for its meticulous craftsmanship and luxury materials and the roots of Italian fashion go way back – to 14th-Century Florence. Appearance and display were intimately bound up with identity for the city’s elite families, and affluent Florence locals were obsessed with fashion, investing huge proportions of their fortunes on beautiful clothing and accessories.

But it was only after Word War II that Italy properly emerged as a fashion destination and Italy’s international fashion industry really came into its own.

Specifically the 1950s and ‘60s gave birth to a stylish, seductive – and uniquely Italian – iconography: the dazzling Trevi Fountain scene in Fellini’s La Dolce Vita, for instance, and Gregory Peck and Audrey Hepburn’s Vespa moment in Roman Holiday. Italy and glamour have been synonymous ever since.

During the 70’s the role of fashion capital headed specifically to Milan. Valentino, Capucci, Armani and Missoni, just to name a few, made “Made in Italy” a worldwide phenomenon. This term was created and interpreted by those designers, who understood women’s need to feel modern and individual.

Undeniably, Milan has been known for its involvement in fashion for many years. Even its name is based on its penchant for style: ‘Milan’ comes from the Italian word ‘milliner,’ which refers to someone who makes hats. Today, Milan’s Via Monte Napoleone is considered one of the most expensive, prestigious and upscale shopping streets in the entire world.

As much as we love Milan, these days another Italian city is giving Milan a run for its money when it comes to the fashion and design: The city of Florence.

Renowned as one of the most cultural and historical cities on the planet, and packed full of amazing architecture and places of significance, Florence is also the birthplace of several luxury powerhouses including Emilio Pucci, Roberto Cavalli, Gucci and Salvatore Ferragamo.

As an Italian Designer once said; “In Florence you feel the energy like in no other fashion capital. Florence is charming, cozy, beautiful, inspiring—it has so many great places to go to and so many unique things to see – that you simply won’t find anywhere else.”

Furthermore, the region is of course also the birthplace of Tesoro, over 40 years ago – and still to this day all our jewellery is created here, something we are very proud of.

Indeed, the Italian history, culture and values are immensely important to us at Tesoro and it is what makes us different. We are not just another jewellery brand. We are at the forefront of fashion and design and we continuously strive to bring you the latest, most modern, authentic and unique pieces.

We create jewellery with passion – and we only create limited edition pieces that we love, that is distinct and special. Our mission is to give you the chance to express your individuality through our jewellery – and make you feel unique.

Essentially, wearing Tesoro does not only mean you wear a piece of wonderful history – it means you wear cutting-edge Italian design, and most importantly – a quality piece made with love.