Learning Through Play
Learning Through Play : "Play is what children are born to do. Give them a rattle and they shake it, offer them a ball and they throw it, give them a large box and, well, who knows?
The possibilities are endless. Play is, quite simply, nature's way of teaching children, and helping them grow and develop. So why is it such a mystery to so many adults?
A survey of 500 parents of under-fives, by Fisher-Price, has revealed more than a third have no idea how to entertain their babies, and, according to psychologist Dr Dorothy Einon, a change in family life is largely responsible.
'In the past, most people lived in big extended families and many girls spent a lot of their childhood looking after siblings."
AWI reaffirms Italian fashion labels value in international wool market
AWI reaffirms Italian fashion labels value in international wool market
: "Australian Wool Innovation Limited reported that the Australian wool industry should not underestimate the influence of the famous
Italian fashion labels on fine wool apparel trends in world retail markets.
This was the message to Merino sheep producers at a forum in Goulburn from Fabrizio Servente, the Marketing and Product Development Director of the Benetton Group, a 5500-store global apparel chain.
'Famous brands such as Zegna,
Dolce & Gabana, and
Armani continue to grow their businesses at an astonishing rate. These high calibre companies are the showcase brands and drivers of fine wool apparel around the world,' he said."
Professor Giovanna Franci retells history of fashion at Istituto Italiano di Cultura
Italian fashion and Chinese threats to it were the main focus of a lecture given last week by Giovanna Franci - a teacher at the University of Bologna - at Istituto Italiano di Cultura.
Globalization, she said, is rapidly changing the face of this industry, from production systems to marketing strategies. The changes concern both the protagonists of this industry and the framework surrounding them.
Can we still talk of 'Made in Italy'?
"In order to answer this question," argued Prof. Franci in a crowded room, "we should go back to the origin, when the term was coined. On February 12, 1951, the first Italian high fashion show took place in a private home in Florence.
Given the times, this was nothing short of miraculous: Europe had just come out of the tragedy of World War II, and reconstruction was still underway. Giovan Battista Giorgini conceived an event that could attract the attention of North American customers. He succeeded, and the following year an even bigger event was organized at Palazzo Pitti.
Made in Italy fashion was born."
Brief history of Italian Fashion
Italy and Fashion have a very unique and special relationship, and when you consider such names as
Dolce&Gabbana, Versace and
Armani, to name but a few, it's not difficult to see why. But if we look back into the history of Italian Fashion, we start to understand what gave Italy such a status in the Fashion World.
Count Giorgini started the '
Italian Fashion' craze in 1951, when he organised a fashion show to be presented to an International audience in Florence. He then continued to present other fashion shows at his palace, presenting new collections modelled by nobilty against a backdrop of fine arts and scenery. Nobilty would also model new collections at museums or exhibitions next to famous pieces of fine art. This all contributed to elevating the status of Italian fashion, and implanting in everyone's minds that Italian fashion gives you status, is very rich in quality,and almost 'fairytale' like.
In the 1970s and 1980s Milan made its mark as being the Fashion Capital of Italy, and the phrase Made in Italy became universally recognised as meaning 'high quality', and 'high fashion'. Many trade fairs are regularly held in Milan, and it regarded by many as the 'Fashion Capital' of the World.
Juliana de Angelis is a travel writer about Italy...read more articles, travel guides and information about Italy, its people and culture at her website:
http://www.madaboutitaly.com/
Italian fashion designer Roberto Cavalli, left, and his wife Eva Duringer bow to the audience after presenting the Roberto Cavalli Fall/Winter 2006/
Italian fashion designer Roberto Cavalli, and his wife Eva Duringer bow to the audience after presenting the Roberto Cavalli Fall/Winter 2006/2007 men's fashion collection, in Milan, in this Monday, Jan. 16, 2006 file photo. Cavalli will appeal his conviction on tax fraud, one of his lawyers said Friday, March 24, 2006. At a hearing on Thursday, a judge in Florence convicted the designer and sentenced him to 14 months in jail, but as a first-time offender, Cavalli saw the sentence immediately suspended, said lawyer Alessandro Traversi."
A few words about Italian Fashion
Italy and Fashion have a very unique and special relationship, and when you consider such names as
Dolce & Gabbana, Versace and
Armani, to name but a few, it's not difficult to see why. But if we look back into the history of Italian Fashion, (e.g. see also the article on Nina Ricci) we start to understand what gave Italy such a status in the Fashion World.
Count Giorgini started the
Italian Fashion craze in 1951, when he organised a fashion show to be presented to an International audience in Florence. He then continued to present other fashion shows at his palace, presenting new collections modelled by nobilty against a backdrop of fine arts and scenery. Nobilty would also model new collections at museums or exhibitions next to famous pieces of fine art. This all contributed to elevating the status of Italian fashion, and implanting in everyone's minds that Italian fashion gives you status, is very rich in quality,and almost 'fairytale' like.
In the 1970s and 1980s Milan made its mark as being the Fashion Capital of Italy, and the phrase Made in Italy became universally recognised as meaning 'high quality', and 'high fashion'. Many trade fairs are regularly held in Milan, and it regarded by many as the 'Fashion Capital' of the World.
Juliana de Angelis is a travel writer about Italy...read more articles, travel guides and information about Italy, its people and culture at her website:
http://www.madaboutitaly.com Copyright Juliana de Angelis - please advise author if this articles is used with website details "
Italian fashion - Food & wine
Wine: Italian fashion:
Nelson winemaker Tim Finn once described wine as the new rock 'n' roll because it was the second career choice of what seemed like half of this country's over 50s.
Track down any former doctor, dentist or lawyer, suggested Finn, and you would discover that he or she had turned to winemaking in a remote rural location.
Now it seems that every second person under 40 who has tired of their chosen profession has decided to import wine.
I have just bought a house from one of the most recent additions to New Zealand wine importers.
New Zealand-born Matt Iles is in business with Austrian-born Michael Farag, who holidays every year in Italy, and they have a business importing Italian streetwear.
After Farag's latest holiday in Italy last year, he persuaded Iles to try prosecco from the Mionetto winery.
They both initially discovered the wines online and, after trying them in Italy, Farag was determined to introduce the wines to New Zealanders.
COSTUME NATIONAL AND DUCATI ON THE FASHION RUNWAY IN MILAN.
COSTUME NATIONAL AND DUCATI ON THE FASHION RUNWAY IN MILAN.: The 2006/2007 Autumn-Winter shows in Milan, the fashion centre of the world, will mark the official confirmation of the partnership of collaboration between Ducati Corse and C’N’C Costume National.
After the success of the first 2006 Spring/Summer collection with the “C’N’C Ducati” label, the Italian prêt-à-porter fashion company belonging to Carlo and Ennio Capasa, respectively managing-director and designer of Costume National, is now continuing along the same line, inspired by passion for motorbikes and dedicated to urban bikers.
The synergetic and constructive rapport between the two companies has led C’N’C to cement even further its collaboration with the Bologna-based motorcycle manufacturer, by linking its brand and image with the world of racing and by becoming official sponsor of the Ducati MotoGP Team in the 2006 season.
The C’N’C logo will be present on the clothing of the team in all rounds of the MotoGP World Championship, in what promises to be a hard-fought season where the red bikes from the Borgo Panigale factory are sure to be amongst the favourites for the title battle.
Italian fashion house Prada to sell Jil Sander to Change Capital Partners
Italian fashion house Prada to sell Jil Sander to Change Capital Partners: Italian fashion group Prada SpA said Thursday it has agreed to sell its Jil Sander label to Change Capital Partners, a private equity firm specializing in branded goods and retail.
Prada did not disclose the agreed price for Jil Sander, which is on track to break even on an operating basis in 2006 on expected sales of more than 140 million euros ($166 million US).
"As we focus on the development of the Prada and Miu Miu brands, I am certain that Change Capital Partners will be able to provide the necessary investment to further grow the Jil Sander business," said Prada chairman and CEO Patrizio Bertelli.
German-born designer Jil Sander, founder of the company, split with Prada in November 2004 over "strategic and financial" differences. Belgian designer Raf Simons was named new creative director for the label, known for a refined minimalist style.
He has won plaudits for his first women's collection presented at this week's Milan fashion shows.
August Birthstone - Peridot
August Birthstone - Peridot: The August birthstone is the amazing peridot. This gemstone was first discovered over two thousand years ago. However, the origin of the stone has been a mystery for many years because there were no records made at the tame.
In the 19th century, the mysterious island where the Peridot originated, Zeberget, was finally discovered off the coast of Egypt. Before that, Peridot was so rare that it became legendary.
