50s America1950s america was characterised by a post-world war II

economic boom. the middle class grew, there was an increase in

manufacturing and home construction, and unions were strong.

the socio-political climate was moderate and consumerism

became a key component of society. buying trends were heavily

influenced by advertising, television and film, and new offerings

from banks, (including loans and credit), made it possible to buy

things more easily. It was a period of compliance and conformance

with major events including the Korean war, the election for two

terms of eisenhower as president, and anti-communist sentiments

embodied in the Red Scare and Mccarthy-era.

the popular music charts were dominated by the likes of elvis

presley, buddy holly, perry como, frank Sinatra, Rosemary

clooney, patti page, doris day, and the andrews Sisters. In

california, the bakersfield Sound was developing in the honky-tonk

bars and on local television. the bakersfield Sound incorporated

electric instruments, added a backbeat, and borrowed additional

stylistic elements from rock and roll and swing music. It grew

out of the stylings of migrant workers from oklahoma, texas and

arkansas, who had made their way in search of work within the

agricultural and oil industries in bakersfield. It found an audience

in california’s central valley and was championed by the likes of

buck owens and the buckaroos who developed the sound further

by incorporating their favourite styles of music.

bakersfield Sound encompassed the country sound of the 40s,

50s, 60s and even 70s and had a large influence on the west

coast music. It went on to influence many great artists including

the grateful dead, creedence clearwater Revival, the eagles, and

chris hillman and gram parsons of the byrds. even the beatles

(act naturally), and the Rolling Stones (far away eyes), displayed

some bakersfield influences.

50s Italylike america, Italy also enjoyed a period of economic growth in

Italy between the end of the Second world war and the late 1960s,

particularly from 1950 to 1963. It was a time when the country

transformed from a mainly rural nation to a major industrial power

and a time of momentous change in society and culture. no longer

bound by the shackles of the fascist regime, Italy flourished,

beginning it’s rebirth into the laid back lifestyle associated with

it today. Italy threw itself into rebuilding its factories and offices,

and the country’s creative and industrial sectors came together to

produce and revive some of the country’s legendary brands such

as vespa Scooters, fIat’s pocket cars, ducati motorcycles and

ferrari.

It was the time of la dolce vita, when america in particular was

heavily influenced by Italy’s trendsetters, specifically with regards

to fashion, film and car manufacturing. american’s were enchanted

by Italy’s carefree attitude and they began to emulate the lifestyle.

as a result, Italian products became a very sought-after commodity

in the united States.

there was an upsurge in the export of fashion items from Italy

to the united States, including traditional craft-based products,

shoes, leather goods and other accessories. the ‘Italian look’

became synonymous with glamour, as sophisticated evening

gowns and cocktail dresses became the designs of choice for both

Italian and american movie stars.

during the 50s opera and classical regional music still impacted

heavily on Italian popular music. It was during this period that

foreign influences such as swing and jazz began to blend with

traditional Italian crooner styles. It was the rise of cantautori

(singer-songwriter) who captured the spirit and trends of the

time. popular at the time were fred buscaglione and domenico

Modungo. buscaglione was a prominent Italian singer fused

american rhythms with Italian traditions, bringing the american

‘gangster and the mob’ imagery to Italian audiences. Modungo

sang melodically, usually about love and passion, mixing tradition

and innovation, to project new rhythms and contagious energy

to his audience. It was his success at the Sanremo Music festival

with ‘nel blu dipinto di blu’, more commonly known as ‘volare’ that

launched him as an international star. this song would also be

a major hit across the waters for Rat packer, dino paul crocetti,

otherwise known as dean Martin. popular songs during this period

included amongst others, Quando quando quando, Sapore si Sale,

and azzurro.

70s Americaunlike the post-war boom of the 50s, the 70s in america was

characterised by growing disillusionment of government, advances

in civil rights, a growing women’s movement, increased concern for

the environment and space exploration. first a vice president and

then a president resigned under threat of impeachment, mood

rings, lava lamps and smiley faces were popular. Men wore their

hair to their shoulders and knits and denims were the fabric of

choice, non-traditional clothing grew in popularity including the

leisure suit, bell-bottom pants, t-shirts and gypsy dresses. dress

styles were a mix of ankle-length or micro-miniskirts; it was a time

when anything went.

at the movies Star wars, towering Inferno, Rocky, the godfather

and Jaws were crowd pleasers and there was a hankering for

simpler times, witnessed by the popularity of the romanticised

1950s portrayed in movies such as grease and american graffiti.

Saturday night fever captured the disco fever that swept the music

and dance club scenes in the mid to late 70s. the deer hunter

and apocalypse now, were clear products of the sentiments and

experiences of a nation involved in the vietnam war.

1971 was dominated by singer-songwriters such as Joni Mitchell

(blue album), and carole King (tapestry). funk acts, such as

Sly and the family Stone, who charted with their album there’s

a Riot goin’ on, were also popular. led zeppelin had numerous

chart successes with led zeppelin Iv (aka zoSo) which featured

Stairway to heaven, Rock and Roll, black dog and going to

california. Janis Joplin (pearl) and the doors (l.a. woman) also

topped the charts. Surfer sounds from the beach boys also graced

the airwaves.

70s ItalyIn Italy, the 1970s heralded in years of social and political

commitment in Italy. worker strikes and terrorist activities marked

the landscape and everyone had a political point of view on almost

any subject.

the Made in Italy fashion style of the 1960s reached new heights

in the 70s and Milan established itself as the Italian fashion capital.

labels like versace, armani and dolce & gabbana opened their

first boutiques and emporia in the city. prêt-à-porter fashion

concentrated on stylish and affordable jeans, jerseys and

mini-skirts.

the 70s, (known as the years of lead), were the heyday of the

cantautori who not only wrote their own songs, but included social

or political messages in their lyrics. the leaders of this movement

were francesco guccini and fabrizio de andrè. the Italian youth

were hungry for musicians who addressed the issues of the

time and were engaged by the social, political, psychological and

intellectual themes, through authors such as lucio dalla, pino

daniele, francesco de gregori, Ivano fossati, francesco guccini,

edoardo bennato, Rino gaetano and Roberto vecchioni.

In the 70s music in Italy followed several tracks including

instrumental and vocal classical music, and melodic music sung

by the likes of gino paoli, luigi tenco, bruno lauzi and Sergio

endrigo.

La Dolce Vitae

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at the opposite end of the scale, Italy found itself at the forefront

of the progressive Rock movement, the stars of which included

the trip, pfM (premiata forneria Marconi), banco del Mutuo

Soccorso, le orme and osanna. Italian progressive Rock

incorporated a mix of symphonic rock and Italian folk music and

concerts in Italy tended to have a strong political undertone and

an energetic atmosphere.

while they are separated by an ocean, and follow a different pace of

life, one cannot deny the close relationship that binds america and

Italy, particularly when it comes to shared desire for a luxurious

lifestyle and exquisite fashion.

Made in Italy Collection“Styled in california, Made in Italy” .true Religion brand apparel,

Inc. was established in the uSa in 2002. the international premium

denim brand designs, manufactures, and sells denim and related

products, such as jackets, blousons, and shirts. the company’s

new all-Italian line, ‘Made in Italy’ has just been released and is

the first jeans line entitled to boast the claim ‘Styled in california,

Made in Italy’ the line marries the allure of fashionable american

jeans with the accuracy and refinement of Italian craftsmanship.

produced from top-quality denim, the line features fine fabrics

and washes with carefully designed details and is designed for

men and women who enjoy combining traditional and innovative

fashion. there are 18 men’s and 18 women’s items available in

the collection, which projects the charm of unique, exclusive and

timeless fashion. Styles are divided into two groups, the 50s group

and 1971 group.

The 50s Groupthe 50s group finds its roots in the heritage of classic american

denim, with a focus on eye-catching seams in bold yarn colours.

the women’s fashion comes in stretch fabrics while a stretch and

a woven fabric are used for men’s fashion. the black 50s group

features black yarn-dyed comfort stretch denim while the Indigo

50s group (in stretch fabric for men and women) is inspired by

classic 1950s denim, stylishly enhanced with refined details.

The 1971 Groupthe 1971 group is vintage denim introduced for the first time in a

stretch fabric. the logo on the back pockets is sewn from the inside

and pressurized making it more visible as the jeans are worn. the

black 1971 collection for men and women, features vintage black

yarn-dyed comfort stretch denim with a typical american fit which

takes a bolder look with colour applied manually to each individual

item. the men’s Indigo 1971 range features blue comfort stretch

denim which ensures stability and an excellent fit, resulting in an

innovative blend of vintage and fashion. the 1971 women’s range

is a classic, yet bold collection, with a perfect fit. the comfort

fabric has been submitted to an ecological treatment resulting in a

captivating vintage look. the overdye 50s and 1971 groups feature

comfort denim which has been coloured, treated and faded and is

available in a diverse colour palette, ranging from yellow to green,

from neutral shades to grey. long-lasting dyes have been used

in this range, which ensures the colours will not fade, even after

repeated home washing. lindsay grubb

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