Can Giorgia Meloni reinvigorate Italia SpA?
Why Italian companies find it so hard to grow
![Shoppers pass a Guccio Gucci SpA sign on Via Montenapoleone in Milan.](https://www.economist.com/cdn-cgi/image/width=1424,quality=80,format=auto/content-assets/images/20240210_WBP502.jpg)
Prominently displayed at a bookshop at Linate airport in Milan is the cover of Quando eravamo i padroni del mondo (When we were the masters of the world). The book about the Roman empire has been on the bestseller list since it was published in September. It reflects Italians’ nostalgic longing for their now rather ancient glory. They could take solace from the fact that many Italian brands are still masters of the world: think fast cars (Ferrari, Maserati, Lamborghini), elegant motorcycles (Ducati, Vespa), beautiful clothes (Gucci, Prada, Zegna) and accessories to go with them (Fendi, Bottega Veneta).
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This article appeared in the Business section of the print edition under the headline “Bittersweet life”
Business February 10th 2024
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