L'Italo-Americano

THURSDAY, JUNE 29, 2023 www.italoamericano.org L'Italo-Americano 2 D e f i n i t i o n s a r e often imprecise. W h e n u s e d t o describe a person, they are usually reductive, not only because each of us tends to be a multi- plicity of things at once and does multiple things simultane- ously, but also because change generally eludes descriptions. We categorize a "before" and an "after" to define how we were a n d h o w w e h a v e b e c o m e , while the intermediate phase, the "during," the becoming itself, cannot be boxed. However, the "work in progress," what we could consider the transitional phase, is often decisive for what is to come. It is in that "while" that exchanges, connections, encounters, clash- es, and choices happen. A poem is intensely beautiful once composed, with its perfect assonances and metaphors depict- ing images able to shape and touch our emotions. Yet, it is precisely when a text is manipulated, when one word is discarded in favor of another and a range of meanings and alliterations is chosen, that we encounter creative magic. We should consider this ongoing process a little more, espe- cially when observing a work of art, or when encountering a designer garment or a craft product. Because the final result is the synthesis of a series of choices, adjustments, and perspec- tives that evaluated, changed, shaped, set aside, selected, and ultimately gave life to the best possible outcome. Art, fashion, and craftsmanship themselves tend to be cate- gorized from three different perspectives, as if each world lived closed within itself, like a monad. However, contamination is often what yields the best result and our "Made in Italy" is a good example of this. In the end, how can we separate artisanal craftsmanship from beyond-the-ordinary taste, aesthetic sense, perspective, and artistic interpretation, which are all Definitions may be ill-fitting, especially for creatives like Armani and Marras From the Editor part of every true Made in Italy product? The problem lies in the common tendency to categorize and create labels when, instead, we should be more open to artistic contamination. Take Giorgio Armani, for example. World- wide, he is an icon of fashion, he is "the" fashion designer. And King Giorgio truly is a beacon of creativity, he has excelled in this profession since 1975. But the latest of the five honorary degrees he earned tells us that he is not only a creative force dominating global catwalks with his sense of dressing well, of elegance, and linearity. It was he himself who, while receiving a Global Business Management degree in his hometown of Piacenza, acknowledged how an undeniable but often over- looked aspect of his activity was finally being honored: "Beyond the creative aspect, it rewards my role as an entrepre- neur, the commitment and passion that allowed me to trans- form a dream into a solid group, a symbol of Made in Italy." Indeed, this gigantic interpreter of Italian style must also be credited with the remarkable and distinct way he has been managing his fashion house, a business group that holds top positions in the world of fashion and luxury. The honorary degree Armani received, as the Piacenza University dean explains, recognized these aspects, recalling the impact the designer had on the Italian fashion industry - which, by the way, has an annual turnover of around 100 billion euros, employs 500,000 people, and comprises more than 60,000 companies. "Armani has drawn attention to a sector that is crucial to our country's economy, highlighting the multiple implications of remaining in a fully human dimension: from promoting fair treatment of people working in the industry, to social dedication; from commitment during the pandemic to environmental responsibility. His most recent commitment, which challenges the established consumeristic model with its whirlwind pace and lack of concern for quality and beauty, tes- tifies to a choice that privileges what endures over time, and cannot ignore serious and authentic reflection on the ethical reasons behind our actions." In these words, Anna Maria Fel- legara, dean of the faculty of Business Management, did not mention glamour at all, yet she was indeed talking about Armani! Categorizing is always a flawed operation, and it is also demonstrated by another name: Antonio Marras, who refuses, as stated in the interview on this week's cover of L'Italo- Americano, to be labeled as a fashion designer. "Definition," indeed, has a definitive content that does not take into account the contaminations this imaginative and eclectic Sardinian embraces, and that he uses to express himself and create. His stylistic hallmark lies precisely in surpassing the boundaries between the arts and living in a dual expressive realm: the cul- tural one - as Marras has always been interested in all types of artistic-creative expressions - and the technical one developed on the knowledge of materials and forms, fabrics and objects. He proudly defends an important choice: seeking creativity, inspiration, and material for his expressive universe from a vast range of visual, artistic, and emotional stimuli. It is not a matter of having more interests or simply being multiple things together, but of understanding how using spe- cific definitions makes us forget about the partiality we ulti- mately settle for. We do it out of habit and to make things sim- p l e r , b u t w e s h o u l d r e m e m b e r s u c h d e f i n i t i o n s a r e fundamentally incorrect, precisely because they are partial and because they stem from a temporary vision, a personal evalua- tion, or experience. It is not correct to think of them as defini- tive, conclusive, or absolute, not only because we live in fluid contexts, but because we ourselves, even before others, are constantly evolving. Simone Schiavinato, Editor Simone Schiavinato NEWS & FEATURES TOP STORIES PEOPLE EVENTS P.O.BOX 6528, ALTADENA, CA 91003 Member of FUSIE (Federazione Unitaria Stampa Italianaall'Estero), COGITO L'Italo-Americano PLEASE SEND CORRESPONDENCE TO P.O. BOX 6528, ALTADENA, CA 91003 www.italoamericano.org L'Italo-Americano Newspaper (a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization), www.italoamericano.org, is the largest and longest-running Italian newspaper in America, not to mention the cultural and news resource for all things Italian in the US. A bilingual newspaper which repre- sents an historical landmark for the Italian American Communities in the West Coast and throughout the US. L'Italo-Americano benefits from subsidies by the Italian Government, Memberships and Donations intended to support and not interrupt a mission that began in 1908 to preserve and promote the Italian language and culture in the USA Periodicals postage paid at Monrovia, California 91016, and additional mailing offices. PUBLISHER Robert Barbera Grande Ufficiale EDITOR IN CHIEF Simone Schiavinato ADMINISTRATIVE MANAGER Patrick Abbate EDITORIAL COORDINATOR Barbara Minafra COPY EDITOR Francesca Bezzone LOS ANGELES CONTRIBUTOR Silvia Nittoli SAN FRANCISCO CONTRIBUTORS Serena Perfetto SEATTLE CONTRIBUTOR Rita Cipalla CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Mariella Radaelli, Matt Walker, Francesca Bezzone, Luca Ferrari, Stefano Carnevali, Paula Reynolds, Nicoletta Curradi, Generoso D'Agnese, Jessica S. Levy, Fabrizio Del Bimbo, Maria Gloria, Chuck Pecoraro, Anthony Di Renzo Serena Perfetto, Kenneth Scambray, Chiara D'Alessio, Chuck Pecoraro, Luca Signorini, Giulia Franceschini © 2020 L'Italo-Americano Membership: One year $59 - Single copy $2.25 POSTMASTER: Send address changes to L'Italo Americano PO Box 6528 Altadena, CA 91003 P.O.BOX 6528, ALTADENA, CA 91003

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