The Italians and their flag !

nicensleazy

Purchase anything made in Italy these days and you will probably find an Italian flag on the product. From Italian cycle frames, to MV Agusta & Ducat motorcyles and Italian espresso machines. Even a belt I recently bought from next had a little Italian cloth flag near to the buckle. You see, the Italians not only have a manufacturing industry (unlike us) they are proud of it! Italy is well ahead of us in the economic stabilization and will continue to grow. I occasionally see a Union Jack on goods sold in this country, but its few and far between! The sad demise of UK industry!

Guz

PC gone mad me thinks :roll:

CarbonCopy

Yes i agree all round.but then again i would, i have Italian parents. .

finchy

The problem is that while Italy is synonymous with classy design, people in this country (wrongly, IMO) associate British products with low quality.

If you go to parts of Central Europe, where people generally have a fairly positive view of the UK, you often see the Union Flag on clothing and the tops of Minis.

Splottboy

Why is the Italian flag, red, white and green, but their Rugby and Football teams play in Blue?

Smokin Joe

nicensleazy wrote:

Purchase anything made in Italy these days and you will probably find an Italian flag on the product. From Italian cycle frames, to MV Agusta & Ducat motorcyles and Italian espresso machines. Even a belt I recently bought from next had a little Italian cloth flag near to the buckle. You see, the Italians not only have a manufacturing industry (unlike us) they are proud of it! Italy is well ahead of us in the economic stabilization and will continue to grow. I occasionally see a Union Jack on goods sold in this country, but its few and far between! The sad demise of UK industry!

Value of Italy's manufacturing industry $345 bn, Uk $342bn. It's a bit of a myth that we don't have a manufacturing industry anymore, not as big as it was but still healthy in relation to our size.

RonB

Splottboy wrote:

Why is the Italian flag, red, white and green, but their Rugby and Football teams play in Blue?

It's only since the Italian Republic was established after WW2 that the tricolor has been the national flag. Before that I think the flag had the Savoia arms on it as theirs was the ruling house of Italy at the time. The azzurro/ blue colour is/ was the colour of the house of Savoia. But CC might well put me right!

rick_chasey

The union Jack does not lend itself well to cool stripes.

French, Italian, etc, flags do.

markyboy2005

johnfinch wrote:

The problem is that while Italy is synonymous with classy design, people in this country (wrongly, IMO) associate British products with low quality.

If you go to parts of Central Europe, where people generally have a fairly positive view of the UK, you often see the Union Flag on clothing and the tops of Minis.

I don't think that has anything to do with a liking for the UK, just a fashion thing that started a few years back.
The Mini Union Flag thing is just a bit of retro styling related to the swinging sixties, IMHO.

Same here in Indo - loads of "Hip" kids go about with the Union Flag on t-shirts, bags etc....In the office I have asked a few of them what it is and they don't know its the UK flag, they just think it looks cool ..... :?

northernneil

RonB wrote:

Splottboy wrote:

Why is the Italian flag, red, white and green, but their Rugby and Football teams play in Blue?

It's only since the Italian Republic was established after WW2 that the tricolor has been the national flag. Before that I think the flag had the Savoia arms on it as theirs was the ruling house of Italy at the time. The azzurro/ blue colour is/ was the colour of the house of Savoia. But CC might well put me right!

finchy

markyboy2005 wrote:

johnfinch wrote:

The problem is that while Italy is synonymous with classy design, people in this country (wrongly, IMO) associate British products with low quality.

If you go to parts of Central Europe, where people generally have a fairly positive view of the UK, you often see the Union Flag on clothing and the tops of Minis.

I don't think that has anything to do with a liking for the UK, just a fashion thing that started a few years back.
The Mini Union Flag thing is just a bit of retro styling related to the swinging sixties, IMHO.

Same here in Indo - loads of "Hip" kids go about with the Union Flag on t-shirts, bags etc....In the office I have asked a few of them what it is and they don't know its the UK flag, they just think it looks cool ..... :?

People here definitely know it's the UK flag, and you also see a load of England football shirts (not just stag weekenders) - trust me, the UK is definitely seen as a very cool place out here - they even broadcast Susan Boyle concerts. :shock:

STEFANOS4784

'Small man complex'

STEFANOS4784

PS.
http://siteresources.worldbank.org/DATA ... /GNIPC.pdf

MadammeMarie

johnfinch wrote:

The problem is that while Italy is synonymous with classy design, people in this country (wrongly, IMO) associate British products with low quality.

If you go to parts of Central Europe, where people generally have a fairly positive view of the UK, you often see the Union Flag on clothing and the tops of Minis.

True. I grew up outside the UK and we all saw British products as the best.

agnello

On the flipside you'll find loads of Italians wearing things with the Union Jack.

Also posh Italians love classic British brands and the English gent look. In fact I believe the Italians now own Church's shoes, Belstaff etc

markyboy2005

johnfinch wrote:

markyboy2005 wrote:

johnfinch wrote:

The problem is that while Italy is synonymous with classy design, people in this country (wrongly, IMO) associate British products with low quality.

If you go to parts of Central Europe, where people generally have a fairly positive view of the UK, you often see the Union Flag on clothing and the tops of Minis.

I don't think that has anything to do with a liking for the UK, just a fashion thing that started a few years back.
The Mini Union Flag thing is just a bit of retro styling related to the swinging sixties, IMHO.

Same here in Indo - loads of "Hip" kids go about with the Union Flag on t-shirts, bags etc....In the office I have asked a few of them what it is and they don't know its the UK flag, they just think it looks cool ..... :?

People here definitely know it's the UK flag, and you also see a load of England football shirts (not just stag weekenders) - trust me, the UK is definitely seen as a very cool place out here - they even broadcast Susan Boyle concerts. :shock:

Yeah, but its still just a fashion thing (even when they know its the Union Flag) not really a statement about liking Britain or the quality of its products.
Loads of England tops here too, but that's just the Asian love of the premiership....never seen so many united fans.

Aggieboy

Ours can look 8)

finchy

markyboy2005 wrote:

Yeah, but its still just a fashion thing (even when they know its the Union Flag) not really a statement about liking Britain or the quality of its products.
Loads of England tops here too, but that's just the Asian love of the premiership....never seen so many united fans.

No, I promise you - I've lived in Slovakia, Hungary and Slovenia now and I can say that people out this way definitely look up to the UK and English culture (stag weekenders excepted).

Pork Sword

To say that Italy is well ahead of us economically is a load of betty swollocks!


I work in a Library that is full of Italians desperately trying to get work experience in the UK to improve their English language skills and job prospects as the work situation in Italy is getting worse by the month... even Fiat is seriously thinking of shipping their manufacturing abroad!!!! How is that for National pride?

Eau Rouge

The don't stick Italian flags on products for national pride, it's pure marketing. "Italian" means stylish and most of those things you mentioned are sold on the fact they are "Italian" and therefore stylish. You see it with road bikes, where Italian frames and Italian components have a certain cache that other brands can't match, even if they are all made in the same Taiwanese factory.

nicensleazy

Well, What do we manufacture in this country? If we look at Italy, them make

Wine
Oil
Export coffee
Cars
Bikes
Motorcycles
Clothing
Pasta
Cheese


The list goes on


What do we have, a crippled steel industry. Ok, we make Landrover and Jaguar but they should now have an Indian flag on them as they are now owned by the same people who own Chorus. Chorus days are numbered as all the steel making will finally go abroad.

Ssdly, we appear to be a service driven country.


Sorry, I did forget one great British company......Amstrad !

Splottboy

Thanks for the flag colour update. Now I shaddupa my face...

Billios

Lots and lots of high end engineering.....

Rolls Royce Aerospace engines...small market that.
High end audio equipment ... NAD, B&W and many more
Triumph motorcycles
Pharmaceuticals (another tiny niche market :roll: ) and all the medical research that follows.
Im sure there are lots more,

British Universities are full of Italians who cant do their work in Italy because of the shocking levels of funding and nepotism in the system. I think you'll find that Italy really is in a bit of a mess.

Jez mon

nicensleazy wrote:

Well, What do we manufacture in this country? If we look at Italy, them make

Wine
Oil
Export coffee
Cars
Bikes
Motorcycles
Clothing
Pasta
Cheese


The list goes on


What do we have, a crippled steel industry. Ok, we make Landrover and Jaguar but they should now have an Indian flag on them as they are now owned by the same people who own Chorus. Chorus days are numbered as all the steel making will finally go abroad.

Ssdly, we appear to be a service driven country.


Sorry, I did forget one great British company......Amstrad !

What do we make

Jet Engines
Motorbikes
Cars
F1 cars + engines
Defence equipment (BAe is huge!)

Lagavulin

nicensleazy wrote:

... Chorus days are numbered as all the steel making will finally go abroad...

Bloody cyclists! Can't even differentiate between a Campag groupset and a steel manufacturer.

If we're counting cheese as an industry then we make a little bit of cheese in this country too.

These Italians are sneaky too. I've loads of Castelli and Campag clothing adorned with their tricolore and manufactured in well know regions of Italy such as Poland, Bosnia and Hungary. :P

domhnall_dearg

And we also make scotch whisky, Mr Lagavulin! Mmmmmm Islay malt! Although I prefer Laphroaig or Port Ellen.

markyboy2005

johnfinch wrote:

markyboy2005 wrote:

Yeah, but its still just a fashion thing (even when they know its the Union Flag) not really a statement about liking Britain or the quality of its products.
Loads of England tops here too, but that's just the Asian love of the premiership....never seen so many united fans.

No, I promise you - I've lived in Slovakia, Hungary and Slovenia now and I can say that people out this way definitely look up to the UK and English culture (stag weekenders excepted).

Fair enough mate....actually lived that way in late 90's. Czech Rep, Hungary and Austria....Great times, great places.....Hope you are having a good time.

finchy

markyboy2005 wrote:

johnfinch wrote:

markyboy2005 wrote:

Yeah, but its still just a fashion thing (even when they know its the Union Flag) not really a statement about liking Britain or the quality of its products.
Loads of England tops here too, but that's just the Asian love of the premiership....never seen so many united fans.

No, I promise you - I've lived in Slovakia, Hungary and Slovenia now and I can say that people out this way definitely look up to the UK and English culture (stag weekenders excepted).

Fair enough mate....actually lived that way in late 90's. Czech Rep, Hungary and Austria....Great times, great places.....Hope you are having a good time.

Yeah, they're great.

So what line of business are you in to live in all of these places?

Where did you live? I've done Dunajska Streda and Bratislava in Slovakia, Gyor in Hungary and Koper (my current location) in Slovenia.

nicensleazy

UK economy has been overtaken by Italy !
Britain's economy has been overtaken by Italy for the first time in a decade and a half, after official figures showed that the UK is now in the longest recession in recorded history!