Rebranding Made in Italy : A Design-driven Reading

AbstractThe article presents an overview of the Italian fashion system using an extensive case study analysis conducted by the authors in the years 2008–14, both through literature review and field research. The aim is to understand the present configuration of the Italian fashion system after the deep transformations that have occurred in the last fifteen years, both regarding the traditional Made in Italy brands, with their specific evolutionary models, and the birth of NewCos (authors’ generic definition for start-ups), with their peculiar characteristics.The main focus of case studies is clearly showing the different innovation attitudes of the companies and brands and related strategic functions with a specific interest in understanding their creative and design management processes.The article groups different brands and companies into seven clusters, which synthesize into paradigmatic features of their possible approaches, offering a design-driven reading of the contemporary Italian fashion system.