L'Italo-Americano

THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 30 2023 www.italoamericano.org 18 L'Italo-Americano I n the teeming mar- k e t s a n d c o b b l e d streets of Ancient R o m e , w h e r e t h e thrum of the empire pulsed strongest, two women carved their names into the a n n a l s o f c o m m e r c e a n d i n d u s t r y , c h a l l e n g i n g t h e e r a ' s t r a d i t i o n a l g e n d e r r o l e s . B a c k t h e n , s o c i e t a l n o r m s l a r g e l y c o n f i n e d women to private spaces, where they were expected to be custodians of the home but as the empire grew, so too did the opportunities for women to engage in trade and business. Indeed, the imperial period saw a grad- ual increase in the rights of w o m e n , e s p e c i a l l y i n t h e economic domain, allowing them to own property, run businesses, and sometimes act independently of their male guardians. It is in this cultural and social context we meet the first Italian entrepreneurs of a l l t i m e , M a r t i a P r i m a a n d C a l p u r n i a . M a r t i a P r i m a t r a n s f o r m e d t h e domestic craft of weaving into a thriving enterprise, proving that women's work could extend far beyond the confines of their homes and into the bustling heart of Rome's economic life. A handful of miles south, the aroma of rich wines and the sound of hearty laughter m a r k e d t h e p r e s e n c e of Calpurnia's establish- ment: she managed a tavern in Pompeii where her name became synonymous with quality. Calpurnia's enter- prise became a hub of social and commercial exchange, a sign of her acumen in a pro- f e s s i o n m a n y m i g h t h a v e d e e m e d u n s u i t a b l e f o r a woman of her time. During the Middle Ages a n d t h e R e n a i s s a n c e , women's rights varied signif- icantly across cultures and religions, but we can find examples of clever female entrepreneurship also back then. One notable example i s B e n v e n i d a A b r a - vanel, a Portuguese New Christian who settled in Italy and, as a widow, ran a loan- b a n k i n g b u s i n e s s . S h e w a s a c t i v e i n t h e M e d i c i financial circles, contributed to charity, and was involved in Christian causes. Howev- e r , i n t h o s e c e n t u r i e s , i t was British women who ran the game of female busi- ness owners. Although they made up a small percentage o f t h e m e r c h a n t p o p u l a - tion—about 3 to 4 percent, their role remained pivotal: they often worked in part- nership with their husbands and were engaged in whole- sale long-distance or inter- national trade. Moving back to 18th-cen- tury Italy, more specifically t o t h e b u s t l i n g a n d lively Republic of Venice, w e ' l l f i n d o u t t h a t L a Serenissima showcased a remarkable level of gender progressiveness, especially when compared to the rest of Europe during the same period. In Venice, women had significant rights and freedoms that allowed them t o b e i n t e g r a l p a r t o f t h e city's vibrant economic, cul- tural, and social life. They held parental authority over their children, could nomi- nate their children's educa- t o r s , h a d a u t o n o m y o v e r their possessions, and were able to express their last will w i t h o u t t h e i n f l u e n c e o f their husbands. These liber- ties extended to the busi- ness sector, where women could manage shops, cafés, and companies without male supervision. The Republic of Venice documented various aspects of life, which gives us detailed insights into the work women were pursuing: some worked as glass bottle makers, alcohol distillers, glass factory owners, nurses, singers, herbalists, impira- resse (bead stringers), mer- lettaie (lace makers), and more. These roles indicate t h a t w o m e n ' s e c o n o m i c a c t i v i t i e s i n V e n i c e w e r e diverse and vital to the city's economy . But when we talk a b o u t V e n e t i a n w o m e n entrepreneurs, it's the name o f E l i s a b e t t a C a m i n e r t h a t m u s t b e m e n t i o n e d . E l i s a b e t t a f o u n d e d t h e Giornale Enciclopedico in 1773, a pioneering maga- zine of its time. Facing cen- s o r s h i p a n d r e f u s a l f r o m p r i n t s h o p s , s h e b o l d l y established her own print shop in 1779 to continue her work. Similarly, Gioseffa Cornoldi founded the first m a g a z i n e f o r w o m e n , L a Donna Galante ed Eru- dita, in 1786. These exam- ples highlight the entrepre- neurial spirit of Venetian women and their resolve to overcome barriers to their economic and intellectual pursuits . During the Risorgimento, the period of Italian unifica- t i o n i n t h e 1 9 t h c e n t u r y , V e n e t i a n w o m e n s u c h as Maddalena Montalban Comello actively participat- ed in organizing resistance against Austrian rule. She was arrested in 1863 for her public appeals to Giuseppe Garibaldi for liberation from Austrian control, showcasing her political activism and entrepreneurship in social causes . I n t h e 2 0 t h c e n t u r y , women in Italy began to sig- nificantly mark their pres- ence in the entrepreneurial landscape, building upon a foundation that had evolved remarkably over the previ- o u s h a l f - c e n t u r y . W h i l e female entrepreneurs were scarce at the beginning of the 19th century, by the early 2 0 t h c e n t u r y , f i g u r e s like Luisa Spagnoli, (have you read our interview with h e r g r e a t - g r a n d a u g h t e r Nicoletta, yet?) emerged as prominent businesswomen. Spagnoli founded the icon- i c P e r u g i n a c o m p a n y , known for the Bacio choco- l a t e , a n d D i t t a L u i s a Spagnoli, renowned for its a n g o r a j u m p e r s . H e r approach combined strong m a n a g e r i a l s k i l l s w i t h a social vision of the work- place, focusing on the eman- cipation of her employees b o t h a s w o m e n a n d workers. M o v i n g c l o s e r t o o u r t i m e s , w e m u s t m e n t i o n M i u c c i a P r a d a , b o r n M a r i a B i a n c h i i n 1 9 4 9 i n M i l a n , o n e o f t h e m o s t n o t a b l e I t a l i a n b u s i n e s s - women. She inherited the luxury goods manufacturer Prada in 1978, a company established by her grandfa- ther in 1913 and transformed it into a global powerhouse. Under her leadership, Prada expanded into leather goods, s h o e s , f r a g r a n c e s , a n d apparel for both men and women. She was listed by Forbes as one of the most p o w e r f u l w o m e n i n t h e world in 2014 and is esti- mated to have a significant net worth . Marina Berlus- coni, chairwoman of Finin- vest and Mondadori Group, continues the legacy of her father, Silvio, while Chiara Ferragni, a fashion influ- encer who turned her blog into a successful business, is the symbol of a new wave of social-media-based female entrepreneurs. And let's not f o r g e t A n g e l a M i s s o n i , who heads the Missoni fash- i o n h o u s e k n o w n f o r i t s unique knitwear patterns, and Emma Marcegaglia, a leading figure in the steel industry and former presi- dent of Confindustria, the General Confederation of Italian Industry. Their successes highlight the significant strides made in female entrepreneurship in our country and demon- s t r a t e t h e p o t e n t i a l f o r women to lead and innovate in the business world. While there is still progress to be made in terms of achieving gender parity in entrepre- neurship, these examples offer inspiration and a blue- print for future female entre- p r e n e u r s i n I t a l y a n d beyond. From Ancient Rome to the 21st century, a quick history of women entrepreneurs in Italy CHIARA D'ALESSIO Left, the founder of the Giornale Enciclopedico, Elisabetta Caminer (Copyrighted work available under Creative Commons agreement. Rosalba Carriera - Web Gallery of Art/Public Domain) and, right, Miuccia Prada, head of the Prada fashion house (Photo: Andrea Raffin/Shutterstock) LIFE PEOPLE REVIEWS ADVICE TRADITIONS

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