Grazia

Today sees the start of Milano Fashion Design, the initiative promoted by the Mondadori Group, with its titles Donna Moderna, Grazia, Tu Style, the web sites Donnamoderna.com and Grazia.it, and the City of Milan, which this year will take part in the programme with cultural initiatives and events.
Milano Fashion Design will offer the city, until 26 February, and coinciding with the Fashion Week, five days of shows, meetings and performances at the special Fashion House designed by Michele De Lucchi, in Piazza Liberty.

Fashion Show
The programme of Milano Fashion Design will be rich in appointments dedicated to fashion. Until Saturday 25 February, from 3pm to 7.30pm, at the Fashion House in Piazza Liberty, there will be a series of fashion shows organised by Grazia with the participation of personalities from the world of entertainment. Among the performances scheduled today Fornarina, Luna and Luciano Soprani, in addition to a special event by Asus introducing its latest technology. In the coming days it will be the turn of Yes-Zee, Swisses, Cromia, Mangano, Nell & Me, Giorgia & Johns, Kocca, Mazzonetto, Geox, Sisley and Peserico, while Milano-Fiera Macef will promote its exhibition activity with a fashion performance.
Also this year Sunday will be dedicated to children with catwalks between 2.30pm and 4.30pm, presenting clothes by the most prestigious companies in the sector, including Eddy Pen, iDo and Il Gufo.
Grazia.it and the bloggers of the new Grazia IT Blogs network will be on the move around the city to capture and photograph the latest trends in fashion and beauty. Headquartes of the GRazia.it editorial staff will be the Grazia.it POP Up located in largo La Foppa

“Special events”
The extensive programme of activities of Milano Fashion Design begins today with the first of a series of special events on the theme of Donne in scena (Women on Stage), organised by the City of Milan in collaboration with Tu Style.
Until Friday 24 February, from 12.30pm to 1.30pm, at the Fashion House, important protagonists from many of the shows running in Milan’s theatres will provide previews of their work, as part of the cultural encounters initiative presented by the city’s director of entertainment, fashion and design, Antonio Calbi.
Introduced by the city’s councillor for the arts Stefano Boeri, the programme will begin with Valeria Magli and Lina Sotis presenting Soirée Sotis, which will run from 24 to 26 February at the Teatro Elfo Puccini. Tomorrow, Thursday 23 February, Elisabetta Pozzi, Eva Robin’s and Alvia Reale will preview the stage play “Tutto sua mia madre” (Teatro Elfo Puccini, 21 February – 4 March).
On Friday 24 February Maddalena Crippa will talk about “E pensare che c’era il pensiero” (Tieffe Teatro Menotti, 21 February – 4 March), while from 7.30pm, Tu Style will bring to the Fashion House stage the veejay Alessandro Cattelan who will present his book “Quando vieni a prendermi?” (Mondadori).
In addition, for the whole of the event, the stage of Milano Fashion Design in the evenings will be animated by the most famous international companies of street artists taking part in the Milano Clown Festival and, on Saturday 25 February, the Unione Italiana Sport per Tutti will stage a dance show.

Casting and Fashion coach
From tomorrow until Saturday 25 February, from 10am to 12.30 p.m., Donna Moderna will run a series of castings to select the protagonists of the magazine’s fashion and beauty coverage, and above all the women who, on Sunday 26 February will walk an “all-Italian” catwalk at the Fashion House: 20 ‘real women will take part in the show, one from every region of the country, wearing the creations of famous designers. The magazine has also decided to launch, precisely during the most glamorous week for fashion, a new challenge: to sign the Manifesto delle donne vere (Manifesto for Real Women) including their own definition of beauty and truth on the mini-site www.donnevere.donnamoderna.com, on Twitter at hashtag #donnevere, on Facebook or by writing down and placing their description in a box on the Fashion House stage.
At the same time the fashion coach of Donnamoderna.com will change, with just a few moves, the style of all those who want to “learn” something more about fashion. Every day the woman who has most revolutionised her image, thanks to the advice of the personal stylist, will receive as a gift a total look at one of the stores in the city centre.

The partners
Milano Fashion Design has been organised thanks to the support of Regione Calabria – main partner – that tomorrow, Thursday 23 February, at 2.30pm, will present its achievements in the field of fashion and crafts, that will also be on show every day at 2pm during the event.
Renault – main sponsor – will present the new Twingo, also offering visitors the possibility of a test-drive in Via Hoepli.
Event sponsors: Ferrovie dello Stato, Milano-Fiera Macef, Glaming, L’Oréal Paris, also with the “Nail Bar” by Color Riche, L’Oréal Professionnel, Cadey with Staminaline, Asus and Alcatel.
Milano Fashion Design is an event produced by DPR Eventi.

The complete programme for Milano Fashion Design can also be found on the web site www.milanofashiondesign.it.
You can also follow Milano Fashion Design on Facebook.

As part of the Milano Fashion Design initiative, from 22 to 27 February, the editorial staff of Grazia.it will move to the centre of the action during the Milan Fashion Week with.it Pop Up, located in largo La Foppa. Also on this occasion the structure, that will be the temporary base for the editorial staff of Grazia.it, will be the reference point for the IT FAMILY of bloggers, friends and contributors who want to get up close to the trendiest event of the year and for those who want to know more about the IT BLOGS project. This new network of young and enthusiastic bloggers (grazia.it/itblogs) provides a space to find out more about the latest fashion and beauty trends and to identify the latest lifestyle (cooking, design, art) through the posts of some of the stars of the Italian blogosphere:

Beauty and the city – Sonia and Valentina Grispo (Beauty)
Blue is in fashion this year – Erica Baldi (Fashion)
Fashion Hall – Elena Schiavon (Fashion)
In the mood for love – BaiLing (Fashion)
Il cavoletto di Bruxelles – Sigrid (Food)
L’armadio del delitto – Cécile (Fashion)
Little snob thing – Alessandra Airò (Fashion)
Look and the city – Valentina Grispo (Fashion)
Rock & Fiocc – Giulia Torelli (Fashion)
The glam side of the life – Loretta Fossati (Beauty)
The old now – Laura Renieri (Fashion)
Trend and the city – Sonia Grispo (Fashion)

Grazia.it Pop Up is also the focal point for a series of activities organised exclusively for the bloggers of IT BLOGS: and three thematic meetings and workshops have been organised that will take place during the Fashion Week that will also involve the Fashion House in Piazzetta Liberty, White in Via Tortona, the fuori sfilate (fringe fashion shows) and all of the coolest locations of the social event par excellence.

For bloggers the workshops will provide an opportunity to meet their peers and develop contacts through an exchange of skills and ideas: Tamu McPherson, head of Grazia.it, will outline some of the tricks of the trade of streetstyler and guide bloggers outside the fashion shows to capture the most exciting moments and colours of the Fashion Week, while the beauty bloggers will demonstrate the techniques for writing a detailed report on the secrets of the perfect make-up. And finally, a chef will stimulate the taste buds of the IT FAMILY with a live demonstration for all present of some of the secrets of haute cuisine.

A week full of appointments for the bloggers of IT BLOG and all those who want to discover how the editorial staff of Grazia.it works during the Fashion Week.

The “Grazia International Network” continues to grow and has now reached 20 editions around the world.
Following the announcement of an agreement with the publisher Media24 to launch before the end of the year Grazia South Africa, from March the magazine will also be available in Slovenia, published under a licensing agreement by Videotop Color Media, a company of the Color Press Group, one of the principal players in the sector in the country.

Unique in the publishing industry in terms of the rapidity of development and the quality of the offer, Grazia brings to four continents – Europe, Asia, Africa and Oceania – the very best of made in Italy luxury, in a unique and innovative formula that has allowed the title to become one of the international leaders in women’s fashion magazines.
Created in 2005, “Grazia International” is in fact one of the most dynamic magazine networks in the world and is already successfully published in Italy, France, Great Britain, Germany, Russia, Holland, China, Australia, India, the Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Indonesia, Thailand, Serbia, Croatia, Bulgaria, Bosnia-Herzegovina and Macedonia.

And precisely because of its strong links with the world of fashion, the “Grazia International Network” will be present at the “Milano Fashion Week” with a “guerrilla” action that will have as its protagonists seven models who will “carry” the “Grazia International” logo at the most important fashion shows.
In addition, on Sunday 26 February, from 5pm to 6.30pm, and on Monday 27 February, from 4.30pm to 5.30pm, as part of “White Milano”, “Grazia International Network”, in collaboration with Campari, will invite the public at its stand to share in a fashion happy hour, during which they can flick through and enjoy all of the magazine’s international editions.

Mondadori has signed an agreement for the publication of Grazia South Africa with Media24, the leading publisher in Africa in the business and consumer magazines market.
This launch extends the reach of the Grazia International Network for the first time with an edition also in this continent.

John Relihan, chief executive of Media24 declared: “Grazia has become a global brand and we believe it can have the same level of success in South Africa as it has had in other countries. We are delighted to embark on this new adventure with a partner like Mondadori,” Relihan concluded. Liezl de Swardt, general manager of Media24’s Women’s Interest division, explained: “The first edition of Grazia was published in 1938 and since then the magazine has become one of the key brands in fashion, and a leader in the women’s weekly market at an international level”.

“Grazia South Africa will be the first on the African continent,” declared Zeno Pellizzari, head of Mondadori’s International Activities. “We are very proud to be working with Media24 and with this launch we are sure that we will have a decisive impact on the competitive scenario in South Africa, just as we’ve had in France, the UK, Germany, China, Russia and Holland,” Pellizzari concluded.

The weekly Grazia South Africa will be characterized by the usual ‘easy chic’ formula that distinguishes the Grazia brand around the world: fashion, news and celebrities, enhanced with international trends and local style and tendencies.

Media24
Media24, is Africa’s leading publishing group, with its principal activities in the south of the continent. It is the biggest magazine publisher and one of the most important players in the newspaper sector, as well as operating as a printer and distributor of magazines and digital content.

Grazia.it is a fashion stylist for Go Try It On, the online community where users can exchange ideas and advice about their look in real time.

The Go Try It On (GTIO) app, leader in crowd-sourcing fashion trends on the iPhone, allows users to take a photo, share it online and get immediate feedback from friends and other members of the community. GTIO is therefore the point of reference for all those who want to get or share ideas about style and fashion.

GTIO, which already boasts over 12 million opinions posted by members of the community, which is made up 80% by women, a 30% international audience, has opened the platform to brands which has allowed Grazia.it to become part of the community and to get in contact with members to share and exchange ideas and advice about fashion and trends in real time.

Grazia.it, which is GTIO’s first publishing partner in Italy, in the role of fashion stylist, will respond to requests for comments in Italian and in English and will be active with its own feedback on the GTIO iPhone app, which as to date recorded 300,000 downloads.

“With GTIO Grazia.it brings fashion closer to the users who want to share their passion for elegance and style. And from this perspective the partnership with GTIO is fully in line with the philosophy of Grazia.it: style is a passion to share. Anyone who is part of the GTIO community and wants to exchange ideas about their look, from today can rely also on advice from Grazia.it,” declared Vittorio Veltroni, Digital General Manager of Mondadori. “GTIO is an excellent example of how to combine in an unconventional way quality digital content, fashion and a social dynamic, and we are delighted to be a part of this innovative project,” Veltroni concluded.

“We are delighted that Mondadori, one of Europe’s leading publishing groups, has asked Go Try It On to make a contribution, with Grazia.it, to the content of our community,” declared Marissa Evans, CEO, GTIO. “The agreement will enable us to expand our list of prestigious partners, the features of our community and to get in contact with users and the world of Grazia.it”.

Mondadori has joined forces with Flipboard, the world’s first social magazine for the iPad, to make content from Grazia.it, Grazia.fr and Graziadaily.co.uk available on Flipboard. International fashion and style aficionados can access the three language versions of Grazia in Flipboard’s Content Guide, where the publications are featured this week.

Flipboard, named Apple App of the Year by Apple, allows readers to discover, browse and share digital content that has been optimised for iPad for an unparalleled reading experience. Additionally, they can to flip through news, photos, videos and friends’ updates on Facebook, Twitter, Google Reader, LinkedIn, Tumblr, 500px, Flickr and Instagram.

From today the section featuring Flipboard’s recommended titles provides access to a range of digital content from the web sites of Grazia Italy, Grazia France and Grazia UK.

Mondadori is the first publishing group in Italy to work with Flipboard and Grazia the first digital women’s title in Italian to be present on the app.

“We are delighted to be working with Flipboard which will enable us to make Grazia.it accessible to users of the app that Time included among the 50 best inventions of 2010,” declared Vittorio Veltroni, general manager of Mondadori Digital. “Flipboard has recorded 4 million downloads across the world for the iPad, generating 600 million flips per month, a figure that is destined to rise. Grazia.it will then be available to an increasingly large audience, and audience that combines its passion for fashion with shopping, as well as socialising,” concluded Vittorio Veltroni.

“With Grazia Flipboard readers can access the content of one of the brands that is synonymous with fashion and style in Italy, France and the United Kingdom,” claimed Christina Mace-Turner, head of partner strategy at Flipboard. “For the first time, we are integrating content in three different languages, a first step in customizing the Flipboard experience for our readers around the world.” Mace-Turner, concluded.

To celebrate its third anniversary Grazia China organised a masked ball inspired by the Venice Carnival, a symbol of Italian excellence in the world.

Grazia is the first glossy news and style fortnightly in the country, with original content in Chinese and a dedicated editorial staff that in a short time has become an authentic publishing phenomenon. Published thanks to an agreement between the Mondadori Group and SEEC Media Group Ltd., the magazine’s great success is demonstrated by a circulation of 1,162,000 copies, an increase of 30% compared with 2010.

To celebrates the magazines success, “Il Ballo del Doge” by Antonia Sautter came to Shanghai for the first time, bringing artists of international standing, marvellous period costumes and haute couture creations – compositions with feathers, sequins, tulle, velvet and other precious fabrics – worn for the occasion by Chinese models and celebrities who paraded on Grazia’s pink carpet.
The guests included many of the leading players from the top international fashion and beauty brands and some of the most popular stars in China, including the actresses, Huo Si Yan and Dong Jie.

During the evening the guests enjoyed a special show that was divided in two parts: Casanova with the Mechanical Doll, based on the famous film by Federico Fellini “Casanova”, and a splendid Turandot, inspired by the Puccini opera, alongside the Leo Doge, a representation of the ancient ties between Venice and the East.

The event concluded with an extraordinary performance by the young Taiwanese singer and songwriter Fan Xiao Xuan, Asia’s most popular punk rock artist who has already made 21 albums and won more than 27 prizes.

Grazia China is online at: www.grazia.com.cn.

From this month Grazia is also present in Bosnia-Herzegovina and in Macedonia, published under licence by Color Press Group, the leading publisher of trade and consumer magazines in southeastern Europe. The company, which is based in Serbia, has a portfolio of over 84 titles, including international brands such as Hello, Joy, FHM, Economist and Intelligent Life.

The two new monthly editions of Grazia are aimed at readers interested in fashion and style, thanks to an innovative formula and an up-scale offer.

These two new launches, which take to 18 the total number of editions of the magazine published around the world, will reinforce the presence of the “Grazia International Network” in the Balkans, following the successes achieved in Bulgaria, Serbia and Croazia, the latter also published in partnership with Color Press.

“The continuing expansion of the Grazia International Network is, for us, further proof of the uniqueness and the appeal of the editorial concept of our brand which, in just six years, has become an international point of reference, even in a difficult economic context like the current one,” commented Zeno Pellizzari, head of Mondadori’s international activities.

“The collaboration with Mondadori is an excellent example of how an international brand like Grazia can be very successfully launched also in minor markets,” commented Robert Coban, CEO of the Color Press Group. “Just one year after our first agreement we have already published three editions and I am sure that our collaboration will not only continue, but will be reinforced in the coming years,” Coban concluded.

A special team of fashion bloggers, an unusual “bubble” structure and a tram that travels through the Fashion District. These are the ingredients of the Grazia.it contribution that from today will cover all of the fashion shows, events and the most exclusive parties of Milano Moda Donna.
The web site of the women’s weekly edited by Vera Montanari will provide live coverage of the main events thanks to a special team of glamorous international fashion bloggers and the correspondents of the 15 titles of the Grazia International Network. The Grazia.it team will give readers, in real time, text and pictures from the backstage areas and parties, “tweeting” live comments and creating a weblog of the entire event.

Along with Tamu McPherson, head of Grazia.it, the team will move for the entire duration of the fashion week to a special “transparent bubble” structure, located in Piazza del Carmine, which will be the nerve centre of the operation and the perfect location for events, initiatives and to share the emotions and passions of the world of fashion.
The special Grazia.it tram will run on the streets of the Fashion District and give readers the opportunity to climb on board the site’s mobile editorial office made up of 10 workstations equipped with WiFi and supported by the Samsung Galaxy Tab, the technology partner of the initiative.
An “IT Girl for a day” contest will be organised on board the tram exclusives open to the authentic fashion addicts who follow Grazia.it.
Along with the Grazia.it fashion editors, the “IT Girl for a day” winners will have the possibility of posing for a special photo shoot, with the support of special make-up by Maybelline NY. Information about how to take part in the contest on board the tram can be found on Grazia.it.

Also, from today, Grazia.it will launch on the site its IT Manifesto, an authentic Decalogue, outlining the fundamental principles that, day by day, underscore the content and structure of the site. The ten points in the IT Manifesto will be published on Grazia.it during the fashion week.
The presence of Grazia.it at the fashion week will include the creative collaboration of the Macs Iotti studio and feature graphic design by Daniele Costa and copy strategy by Tita.

The fashion week sees the return of the Milano Fashion Design, initiative promoted by the Mondadori Group with its celebrated titles Grazia and Interni and with the patronage of the City of Milan municipal council.

After the success of the previous editions, from Wednesday 21 to Sunday 25 September 2011, the spotlight will be on Piazza Liberty, in the heart of the city’s shopping district, where more than 20 fashion labels will present their latest collections with performances and special events.
Milano Fashion Design opens the doors of fashion to the general public, giving normal citizens an opportunity to enjoy spectacular fashion presentations and to enjoy an unmissable show featuring a range of new proposals every day.
All the events will take place at the Fashion House, a specially built stage in the centre of Piazza Liberty, designed by Michele De Lucchi in cooperation with Matteo Vercelloni.

Milano Fashion Design will be officially opened on 21 September by Angelo Sajeva, chairman and chief executive of Mondadori Pubblicità, who declared that: “Milano Fashion Design is an exemplary expression of the contamination of fashion and design. Two qualified interpreters of made in Italy style, Grazia and Interni, will bring fashion to the street providing their know how in producing innovative performances in the heart of the city. With this initiative, now in its third edition, fashion becomes a show to be enjoyed by the general public, for all the citizens of Milan,” concluded Sajeva.

The programme
From 21 to 25 September, from midday until 8 pm, there will be alternating performances in Piazza Liberty by: Accademia del Lusso, ALV Andare lontano Viaggiando, Brema, Camomilla Milano, Cannella, CHÉRIE, Conbipel, Diegom, Eightsin, Il Gufo, Kokka, Luciano Soprani, Mabrun, Malloni, Naturino, Nenette, Paolo Casalini, Rifle, Swissies, Triumph, Woolrich and Yes Zee.
And again for this edition, the main feature of Sunday will be KID’s wear.
The make-up and hair artist area run by Maybelline NY and L’Oréal Professionnel will be visible to all. In fact, Milan will be able to watch highly professional make up artists and expert hair stylists at work. Every morning the professional make-up teams from Maybelline NY will share with the visitors of the Fashion House the experience of a model look and between one performance and another offer make-up lessons.

Special events
There is also something new for young people who dream of a future in the world of fashion: for the first time, at the Fashion House, there will be a show of creations by emerging talent from among the students of the Italian branches of the Accademia del Lusso (Wednesday 21 September at 5 pm).
On Thursday 22 September at midday, the boatbuilder Fiart Mare will present a preview of the Epica 58 and Seawalker 33 models, with a discussion, moderated by Paolo Liguori, on Italian excellence in fashion, design and boatbuilding, in collaboration with Interni on Board.
On Friday 23 September from 7 pm, R101 will be the star of a special evening, in collaboration with Peugeot, thrilling the audience with music, entertainment and guest stars. Chiara Lorenzutti, the voice of R101, will also present the fashion performances.
Banca Intesa will promote an original event that will take fashion into an unusual context and great design, a new flagship store. In fact, on Friday 23 at 2 pm Yes Zee will present a preview of their performance at the new branch of Superflash in Via Torino 21.

The partners
Milano Fashion Design has been realised with the support of Peugeot (main partner), that will make five courtesy cars available for the protagonists of the initiative and present a preview of the model from the limited series Asphalt.
Motorola will introduce the audience to the new tablet XOOM, ATRIX smartphone and GLEAM telephone, while Cadey will present its anti-oxidant cream Staminaline to the people of Milan. Also on the occasion, Dr Scholl will launch it new Pocket Ballerina Party Feet. The watchmaker Ice Watch will be on the Fashion House stage with its latest range in original packaging.
The Fashion House will be furnished by Calligaris with the following products: a Basil chair, a Anais chair, a Lib bookcase, a Timeless sofa, a Tower table. The catering will be managed by Visconti Banqueting. The tent-structure of the Fashion House is by Tensostend.

Milano Fashion Design is an event produced by DPR Eventi.