“Designing the Future: Development, Innovation, Sustainability and Beauty“
The theme of the 2020 Italian Design Day

The 2020 edition of Italian Design Day in the United States will take place on November 5.

The webinar event, organized by the ICE Agency in New York in coordination with the five offices of the U.S. network and by the Italian Embassy in Washington, included the participation of the leading figures in the “Italian Design System” in the U.S.

Lending his presence to the event, in his opening address, the Italian Ambassador to the U.S., Armando Varricchio, underlined the design industry’s importance for Italy’s development. Moderated by U.S. Correspondent, Class CNBC, Stefania Spatti, the webinar also included remarks by the director of the ICE Agency in New York, U.S. coordination, Antonino Laspina, who illustrated the strategic importance of Italian design with regards to export.

Event panelists:
Architect Piero Lissoni – Italian “Design Ambassador” for New York, Master Gaetano Pesce – Master of Italian Design, Francesca Lanzavecchia – Creative Director & Co-Founder, Lanzavecchia + Wai, Marco Piva – Studio Marco Piva, Patrizio Cionfoli – Director of Design & Interaction, Studio Volpi, Yorgo Lykouria – Founder/Creative Director, Rainlight Studio

Now in its fourth year, Italian Design Day was created out of the will of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, which placed design at the center of its promotional activity “Vivere all’italiana.” Over these four years, it has succeeded in making itself an effective promotional tool for design, as an expression of the Made in Italy product, known and appreciated throughout the world.

Reflecting on the theme of the Design Day, Ambassador Varricchio noted that “design in English means ‘to draw up plans’, and never as this year – marked by the pandemic – should we leverage creativity, ingenuity, and Italian style to look ahead and prepare for the future”.

“The Italian design industry plays a strategic role in our exports in the U.S.,” declared Antonino Laspina, director of the ICE Agency in New York, U.S. coordination. “We are well aware of this, and our objective is to give continuity to the promotion of this asset, which has always been a source of pride of Made in Italy production.

“In 2019 ‘Italy of Furniture and Construction’ exported to the U.S. goods valued at US $2.84 million and ranks sixth among suppliers,” Laspina continued.

“During the period from January to August 2020 (latest available data), Italy exported to the U.S. goods valued at US $ 1.62 million and still ranks sixth among supplying countries.

“Italy is able to put in place an offer for the U.S. market that is attentive to the needs of the end consumer, and the professionals in the design world, with innovative solutions regarding style, materials and technologies and with company supply chains able to meet the specific needs of the most demanding designers,” concluded Antonino Laspina.