Author: Editorial Team

As August is about to kick in, we are all realizing that this may be one of the strangest summer ever experienced, a summer that carries along the obvious scars of the virus, with plans that had to be drastically changed and dreams that had to be postponed, while our desire to take advantage of the long warm days is stronger than ever, after the hardship of the past months.
Finally here we are, enthusiastically repopulating the city centers, savoring our rituals in cafes, returning in trepidation to our favorite restaurants, which had so much been missed.
Here we are, admiring the windows and finally venturing into shops and indulging in some well-deserved treats. At this time, don’t we actually all need a bit of shopping therapy? In times of uncertainty, when we feel we have no control over the situation, when we are sad, or scared, or under pressure, shopping becomes a way of coping, and many studies have proved that purchasing new clothes is a method that consumers often use, as a solution to drive anxiety away, and assert some sort of control on their lives. When things seem to be getting out of hand, people ask themselves what can they do to feel better, and shopping for clothes is often an answer, as it is seen as something that can promote positive feelings, especially when one can do it during a nice summer day, strolling the high street, and enjoying the good weather.

All the fashion trends of the moment seem to recognize in consumers the need for joyfulness, the desire to return to their life and take advantage of it limitlessly. Although some analysis state that during hard times, like in the 2008 global crisis, there is a tendency to reject bold trends and a general favour for cleaner aesthetics and simpler, basic looks, this is not what is happening right now on the fashion scene. On the contrary, one can notice a sense of exaggeration that reflect a thirst for living life to its fullest. Colours are everywhere, bold and intense. Wonderful imaginative prints, including statement animal prints, come in every variation for every occasion, with irresistible patterns all over. Volumes are amplified from top to toe, from puff sleeves and fun ruffles to a plethora of trousers with oversized proportions. The times of minimalism seem far away, and perhaps the willingness to return to normal is taking the shape of a desire for exaggeration and maximalism, after so much control and containment.

Milan Digital Fashion Week will be broadcasting online. You can download the whole program from the official website of Canera Nazionale della Moda: https://www.cameramoda.it/en/

If you are looking for an exclusive brand where refinement and originality perfectly merge, look no
further. Attic and Barn is a sophisticated line of clothing that offers polished and chic garments characterized by a very well-defined style, strong, contemporary and eclectic.
Designs at Attic and Barn are imaginative and unique, and colors and prints are of paramount importance. Stunning patterns – floral, evocative, and geometrical – enrich every collection. The brand dedicates a special care to the selection of materials, often opting for precious fabrics like silk, and has an attentive eye for details and finishing, applying the exquisite Italian expertise in craftsmanship.
The underlying philosophy at Attic and Barn revolves around drawing inspiration from the past to reinvent the present in new creative forms and designs. The project in fact was borne when the brand’s creators got an enlightening intuition from consulting vintage archives found in the Italian region of Veneto, which preserved over 60,000 pieces dating back to the end of the nineteenth and the first half of the twentieth century, and enthusiastically decided to recreate those vintage patterns and silhouettes in a contemporary key.
This is the reason why all collections by Attic and Barn offer a sense of vintage aura, perfectly blending in with a fiercely modern and cosmopolitan inspiration.
Garments by Attic and Barn have an irresistible appeal, and are made to enhance the charm of a young, trend-focused woman who loves to discover creative and unique styles, sometimes ironic too, but always maintaining a total faithfulness to her natural and timeless chic allure. Visit the official website at www.atticandbarn.it

Quality over quantity: will this be the direction helping fashion retailers resist the corona virus crisis ?
Many shop owners are right now considering changing their business models to survive. And it is paramount to put into the equation the different ways in which consumers will now approach a discretionary sector like fashion.
Will customers go back looking for the latest spring-summer design, after having had essential health and groceries on top their priority list for months? The answer is: yes, they will, but most probably with a different mindset. Purchases that were supposed to be for special occasions – be it weddings, parties, holidays…- have simply been cancelled, and being stuck at home has certainly made consumers generally less excited about getting dressed.
Nevertheless, fashion devotees all over the world have surely been missing strolling along the city’s boulevards, and entering their favourites shops. But, at the same time, this long pause from our normal lives has been for many an occasion of reflection on how chaotic and excessive the modern society is, with its fast consumption patterns. These include that large segment of the fashion sector that relies on cheap, fast-changing, disposable clothing, which has already begun to show its limits before the crisis, as well as its devastating environmental impact.
With life slowly getting back to normal and fashion stores reopening bit by bit all over Europe, odds are that consumers will return to shops, enthusiastic about their reconquered freedom, but also more pondered and cautious about their purchases. The revaluation of their model of consumption, brought on by such an unprecedented crisis, will possibly materialize into the desire to invest in few valuable pieces rather than falling in the trap of impulsive and compulsive buying, that has been so much favouring the too well-known low cost fashion giants in the past decade. In other words, it is expected a consumers’ shift from quantity towards quality, benefitting fashion retailers who will be able to offer trendy products that can also stand out among others for their added value characteristics, like uniqueness, design, quality of the materials, durability. In short, customers will be now maybe buying less, but surely looking more for garments capable of becoming pieces to keep in the wardrobe for more than a season.

Coronavirus is forcing many of us to stay indoors. Our busy life schedule has stopped, causing general puzzlement and concern.
As people around the world are now asked to give up their routine between office, the gym, a walk in the park, a nice glass of wine with friends, or a fun night out, home isolation can be seen as boredom and often a source of stress.
But with a little bit of imagination, there are so many options to entertain your self at home.
Since the beginning of the emergency, many of us have somehow engaged in hobbies, personal interests, and activities which we perhaps use to neglegt in our previous life routine. Of course some have the chance to work from home, but others have now more time than usual to dedicate to cooking, gardening, organizing home, reading or watching movies. (By the way, it is not by coincidence that Netflix has grown its subscribers number by 16 million since the beginning of the year.)

Many people in isolation have made a point to themselves about keeping healthy and fit, and are doing regular exercise or yoga.

For the not-so-sportive type, the ideas are many: from organizing, selecting and, why not, printing the tons of photos stored in our phones (trust me, this is a task which can take days!), to
taking advantage of this free time for self-improvement: the web is there, offering uncounatble possibilities of online courses. Have you ever dreamt of learning a new language, and could never find the time to even start, or would you like to become more fluent in what you already know? Now you can, this is the perfect time to do it.
Other suggestion for a good use of your time at home is exploring the numerous virtual art galleries, international museums, and theatres directly from the comfort of your sofa, in one click.
Same thing with virtual travelling and virtual touring. Thanks to technology we can go pretty much as far as desired — all without a passport, and just with a screen. Of course, way less fascinating than a real trip in in the many enchanting corners of the world, but, hey, still better than nothing!
As days go by, people start slowly thinking about when they will go back to their usual life, and return to work. Pressure starts to kick in, and we ask ourself what challenges are expecting us after the emergency. The best thing to do is be positive, and keep yourself updated on what is going to happen in your specific sector. If you are in the fashion industry, you can dedicate some time to explore our magazine, discovering all the news we got for you, and some pretty cool Italian brands and their amazing new collections. We hope you enjoy it!

As COVID-19 tremendously spreads around the globe these days, Italy remains one of the worst-hit nations in the world.
The Italian fashion system, alike many other sectors, is being profoundly damaged by the coronavirus pandemic.
While billionaires around the world are generously contributing to the fight against the pandemic, Italy’s wealthiest have been focusing on the battle at home.
For everyone operating in the fashion sector it has been especially comforting to know that the biggest names in the industry are hugely donating right now, in order to contribute to the fight against the virus.

Fashion legend Giorgio
Armani donated about $2.2 million to hospitals in important cities in the North of Italy, like Milan, Rome and Bergamo, sustaining the Italian health sector.

Gucci is about to donate 2 million euros to fight the COVID-19 pandemic, in two separate campaigns in favour of Italy and the World Health Organization.

Prada, from its side, after having donated several intensive care units to hospitals in Milan, has now announced that it will be producing 80,000 medical overalls and 110,000 masks for healthcare personnel.

Even famous influencer and celebrity Chiara Ferragni, and her husband, have made a personal donation of 100,000 euros. The couple has also launched a crowdfunding campaign that has raised more than four million euros in donations, in favour of the creation of new hospital beds in intensive care areas of Milan’s San Raffaele hospital.