Elena Dellapiana's book traces the invention of Made in Italy from 19th-century expositions to the 1980s

Elena Dellapiana, professor of History of Architecture and Design at the Politecnico di Torino, has published "Il design e l’invenzione del Made in Italy" with Einaudi. The book offers an anthropological perspective on how the Made in Italy brand was constructed through exhibitions from the 19th century to the 1980s, analyzing the process of defining and communicating Italy's image globally. Dellapiana argues that Made in Italy is a "suitcase word" encompassing objects, furniture, food, fashion, cars, and lifestyles, built from the Risorgimento onward. While the brand brings economic and social benefits, it risks trapping designers and markets in a well-worn cliché that will be hard to escape. The study also considers the roles of the United States, Northern Europe, and France in promoting Italy's image, but excludes Latin America, Germany, England, and Spain as not useful for comparison. The book is praised for its lucid, rigorous, and non-moralistic approach, offering insights for evaluating the Italian system.