L'Italo-Americano

THURSDAY, JUNE 15, 2023 www.italoamericano.org 16 L'Italo-Americano LIFE PEOPLE PLACES HERITAGE W h e n i t c o m e s t o M a d e i n I t a l y , s h o e s have a place of honor. Yet, there are historical names we may not be too familiar with unless we are fashionistas, that is. Fratelli Rossetti is one of them. Fratelli Rossetti's com- pelling narrative began in 1953, not merely as a compa- ny's story but as a chronicle of family perseverance and pas- sion. It is in those years, while Europe was gradually return- i n g t o n o r m a l c y , t h a t young Renzo Rossetti and his brothers unexpectedly ventured into sports shoe production. Their products were adopted by Italian figure skating and hockey champi- ons, which was certainly con- sidered an auspicious begin- ning for the business. Yet, the Rossetti brothers recognized the limited potential in the s p o r t s s h o e m a r k e t a n d decided to boldly shift gears towards leather shoe produc- tion. In 1958, their first factory in Parabiago was established: the Rossetti brothers pursued excellence, and to achieve it they learned from the best craftsmen while aiming to c r e a t e a w h o l e n e w s t y l e . Experimentation led to vari- o u s m i l e s t o n e s : t h e "antiqued" shoe, reminiscent of oil painting textures, the "brushed" treatment, and the incorporation of unconven- tional materials like ostrich, python, and peccary leathers. A e s t h e t i c c h a n g e s a l s o emerged, when they began r e p l a c i n g c l a s s i c p o i n t e d styles with loafers and boots, and introduced distinctive detailing. Their work outgrew the original premises, leading to a new factory opening in Para- biago in 1968. In 1969, Renzo Rossetti journeyed to New York, marking the beginning of their international expan- sion. Even in these new terri- tories, the Rossetti brothers remained true to their identi- ty, preferring to work along- s i d e , r a t h e r t h a n b e h i n d , fashion's biggest names. The launch of the youth- ful Green Line in 1977 was another turning point. During this time, designers Massimo and Lella Vignelli redesigned the company's logo and name to emphasize the familial nature of the business and its generational continuity. As fashion became more con- spicuous in the 90s, Rossetti women's shoe designs took daring leaps with colors and geometries; the 1990s also s a w t h e b i r t h o f F l e x a , a m o d e l c o m b i n i n g l i g h t trekking comfort with classic elegance. Moreover, working with the likes of Giorgio Armani, Valentino, Yves Saint Laurent, and Karl Lagerfeld led to fruitful col- l a b o r a t i o n s , t h a t b r o u g h t together Rossetti's craftsman- ship with the creative genius of these designers. T h e c o m p a n y ' s i m a g e underwent a revitalization in the mid-90s, marked by col- laborations with renowned p h o t o g r a p h e r G i o v a n n i Gastel and architect Peter M a r i n o f o r t h e M a d i s o n Avenue store in New York, encapsulating the Rossetti vision of luxury. The compa- ny's golden jubilee was cele- brated with an official stamp by the Italian Postal Service, recognizing its global repre- sentation of Italian crafts- m a n s h i p . T h i s m i l e s t o n e marked the generational tran- sition, as the "new" Rossetti brothers, Diego, Dario, and Luca, prepared to carry for- ward the company's legacy while embracing inevitable change. Each with different talents and skills, the brothers a r e s t e e r i n g t h e c o m p a n y towards its 70th anniversary, bound by their shared passion for quality and respect for tra- dition. Diego joined the family enterprise in 1978, leading commercial operations and expanding retail networks in Italy and abroad. His leader- ship established F r a t e l l i Rossetti as the first Italian fashion house on New York's Madison Avenue. Currently s e r v i n g a s t h e c o m p a n y ' s president, he's also a dedicat- ed philanthropist and an avid photographer in his spare time. Following his artistic training, Dario took over the creative department in 1981. He seeks inspiration for new d e s i g n s f r o m h i s l o v e f o r antiques and art exhibitions. Meanwhile, even before earn- ing his degree from the Boc- c o n i U n i v e r s i t y o f M i l a n , Luca was involved in man- agement control, significantly enhancing business processes. Today, as CEO, he oversees m a r k e t i n g a n d c o l l e c t i o n development, holding a firm belief in continuous learning to capture evolving fashion trends. In embracing tradition and yet welcoming change, Diego, Dario, and Luca represent the company's dynamic, genera- tional driving force. W h e n w e think of the Romans a n d E t r - u s c a n s , w e i m a g i n e g r e a t b a t t l e s , architectural marvels, and illustrious societies teeming with art, culture, and philoso- phy. Less often, perhaps, do we consider the more practi- cal, less glamorous side of these civilizations, like how they "invented" the sewage system: glitzy it ain't, but what would we do without it? T h e E t r u s c a n s l a i d t h e groundwork for sewage man- agement, demonstrating an impressive understanding of hydraulics: they created intri- c a t e u n d e r g r o u n d t u n n e l s called cuniculi, that performed the dual function of protecting their cities from flooding and serving as primitive sewage systems to channel wastewater away from populated areas. Then came the Romans. Drawing inspiration from the Etruscans, they transformed the concept of a sewage sys- tem, recognizing the crucial role of hygiene and sanita- t i o n f o r t h e i r b u r g e o n i n g cities: the most impressive result of this intuition was Rome's Cloaca Maxima, or, literally, the "Greatest Sewer." In the 6th century BC Tar- quinius Priscus, Roman king of Etruscan origins, oversaw the creation of what was ini- tially an open-air canal. Its p u r p o s e w a s t o d r a i n t h e marshy lands between Rome's h i l l s , t u r n i n g t h e m i n t o a thriving hub for commerce and social life, which we now know as the Roman Forum. Over time, this canal morphed into a covered sewage system, a complex network that served the whole city: it collected waste from the bustling public baths, latrines, and the streets of Rome, funneling it into the River Tiber: this was Rome's answer to maintaining cleanli- ness and sanitation amid its ever-growing population. This sewage system, epito- m i z e d b y t h e C l o a c a Maxima, was instrumental in allowing Rome to sustain a population of over a million, an unheard-of size for cities of that era. So significant was the Cloa- ca Maxima that it became a symbol of civic pride and an enduring sign of Roman inge- nuity. And if you need any proof of its success, parts of it are still in use today! As we marvel at the aqueducts and amphitheaters of Rome, let's also take a moment to appreci- a t e t h e E t r u s c a n s a n d R o m a n s ' l e s s - c e l e b r a t e d achievement: a sophisticated sewage system that marked a seminal milestone in the his- tory of sanitation. A manhole in Rome: the ancient Romans, along with the Etruscans, created the first efficient sewage systems in history (Skovalsky/Dreamstime) Fratelli Rossetti shoes are known for the quality of their craftsmanship (Photo: Daloiso57/Dreamstime) N o t g l a m o r o u s , b u t u s e f u l : urban sewage systems F r a t e l l i R o s s e t t i : w h e n f a m i l y t r a d i t i o n becomes business

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