Five Facts I learned about the Italian culture
- 93% of the population speaks Italian compared to America, where only 80% of people speak English
- Wine, cheese and pasta are important part of Italian meals.
- November 1 commemorates Saints Day, a religious holiday during which Italians typically decorate the graves of deceased relatives with flowers.
- The Italian flag is composed of three colors which all have different meanings; green for hope, white for faith, and red for chairty
- Italy has two bigger islands Sicily and Sardegna and many smaller islands such as Capri, Ischia and Elba.
Weaving or Embroidery in Italy
- Brocades were an important fabric during the Renaissance, and especially the Italian Renaissance.
- Brocade is a class of richly decorative shuttle-wovenfabrics, often made in colored silks and with or without gold and silverthreads. The name, related to the same root as the word “broccoli”, comes from Italian broccato meaning “embossed cloth”.
- A weaving workshop called, Artigianato Tessile (Artes), which is textile handcraft,
- Artes is one of the most widely respected companies of its kind in Italy, producing beautiful shawls, scarves and other textiles for major designers such as Hermes, Armani, Chanel, Gucci, Max Mara and Loro Piana.
- Embroidery or Ricamo, as it is known in Italian, is not new to the Italians – it is an ancient craft that has been passed down through many generations and it is common to see both young and old with a needle and thread in hand.
- Techniques used in Italian weaving: Hardanger, Ricamo antico, Ricamo classico, Ricamo bandera, Rococo, Reticello, lace making, and punto pittura (stitch painting).
Prints, Color, and Fashion in Italy
- I didn’t find a common theme in any of their prints other than the fact that they like to mix prints and different patterns.
- Since Italy is home to so many high end fashion brands, most of their fashion is just based on the work of the designers, so you can’t really say that they limit their color scheme since it comes from so many different designers.
- Most men like to wear loose fitting clothing that looks very relaxed and “beachy”, whereas others like to dress up and wear very well-fitting suits.
- I feel like most women’s fashion is very similar to fashion here in America, probably because lots of our fashion comes from Italy.
