The Swedes are known for being shy and reserved, the Brits for their stiff upper lip, and the Germans for their precision. And the Italians…. they’re famous for being the antithesis of all of these attributes! Italians are passionate, love to wear their heart on their sleeve, and appreciate randomness.
Italy isn’t without its faults, but there’s something genuinely warm and welcoming about Italians that more than makes up for their shortcomings. There are a few things that are distinctly Italian… characteristics you’ll rarely ever find anywhere else in Europe:
1. Sprezzatura:
The word Sprezzatura was first used by Castiglione while instructing noble men about proper behavior. The idea was to create an elegant charm that appears natural and unrehearsed – you go to great lengths to conceal the effort that has been put into the action. Italian industrialist Gianni Agnelli is perhaps the perfect example for Sprezzatura – he was charming, witty, and industrious. His style was distinguishable – unbuttoned shirts, Italian watch brands over the cuffs, and the tie almost always askew. He never attempted to look neat and yet drew everyone’s attention. So much so, President Kennedy was said to be jealous of his casual charm and elegance!
2. Talking With Their Hands:
Italians don’t just use words to communicate – apparently, an average Italian’s lexicon of hand gestures and facial expressions is comparable in size and sophistication to that of the American Sign Language. Italians have gestures for every emotion – anger, gratitude, and even displeasure. They use gestures and expressions to apologize, request, argue, and even insult. They can also use them to show character traits in people – fist of one hand on the palm of another to imply a person is stubborn or pulling down the skin below the eye to show craftiness.
3. Flair For Design:
From the simple Piaggio Vespa scooter to architectural wonders in cities like Milan and Rome, good design is easily accessible in Italy. For an average Italian, everything around him must be well designed – from the simple perfume bottle, he uses to the cars he drives and the home he lives. Even at Ferrata, we stand true to our Italian design heritage when manufacturing Italian watches – high-quality design combined with exceptional craftsmanship.
But unlike German engineering, an Italian’s flair for design isn’t governed by rules. As industrial and graphic designer Massimo Vignelli once explained - ambiguity isn’t necessarily a negative word to an Italian. For them, it is about the plurality of things.
