Paninaro
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Paninaro (Italian pronunciation: [paniˈnaːro]; feminine: Paninara; plural: Paninari; feminine plural: Paninare) was a youth scene that took its name from a group of youngsters who used to meet at the Al Panino bar (At the Sandwich)[1] in Milan's Via Agnello during the early 1980s. The group's meeting place later moved to Piazza San Babila, where Burghy, a defunct Italian fast food chain, had just opened its first restaurant; it then became a full-fledged subculture, whose members were to be found associated to the many branches of the chain, which were spread all across Milan. The subculture beginnings was derived from "the Sanbabilini's" nostalgic, extremist and quite violent groups of peolple who used to meet close San Babila Square in Milan. After some epic rumbles with their historical adversaries, young communists and others, a "La Stampa" Journalist wrote of those facts calling them "Paninari" as they used to meet at "Al Panino"'s bar. At once this surname became well known and identified all the young people that used to find themsellves close San Babila and Liberty's Square, mostly wealthy class youngsters that used to distinguish themselves for extremely expensive clothes. So, despite its late 70's very early 80's politically oriented origin, the movement was known for its apolitical[citation needed] nature and its twin obsessions with fashion and Americana, contrasting sharply with the politically-aware generations of the 1960s and 1970s.
The Paninaro scene developed in tandem with the vapid hedonism of the 80s, fostered by Reaganomics, Thatcherism, deregulation and liberism and was eagerly embraced by the sons of well-to-do professionals who benefited from the widening gulf between high-income families and salaried workers.
It was also reinforced by the diffusion in Italy of Berlusconi's television channels, which transmitted messages of consumerism and fostered a fetishistic urge of self-affirmation through the acquisition of status symbols. Among these one station, Italia 1, was explicitly aimed at a younger target, broadcasting then-popular US series, movies, cartoons and comedy shows which had unparalleled popularity in the 10-25 age range.
The Paninaro look's cornerstones were: Timberland boots, Sebago or Vans deck shoes, Argyle and Burlington socks, Armani jeans rolled up to ankle height, El Charro belts with Texan or western-style big buckles, Best Company sweatshirts, Schott flyer's leather Jackets bulky Moncler jackets and brightly colored Invicta rucksacks. Designer Olmes Carretti collaborated with the British sailing brand Henri Lloyd to further develop their iconic " Consort" sailing jacket so favoured by the Paninari.
Other popular items were Ray-Ban sunglasses, Naj-Oleari underwear, Fiorucci and Moschino accessories, Controvento and CP Company clothing.
At once borned, in the early 80's, some dedicated monthly fanzines, first of all the most popular, "Paninaro", then "Preppy" and "Wild Boys" (from one of Paninaros' favourite songs Duran Duran's "Wild Boys"), filled with theme-comics, advertising, some fashion articles and letters from readers.
In their heyday, Paninari were lampooned in the Italia 1 comedy show Drive-in by Enzo Braschi, who played a character depicting the shallowness of the subculture and its unending vulnerability to newer trends and fads of the 1980s (New Romantic, Dark-Goth, Rambo-like, and so on). He was the real promoter of this subculture throughout Italy, making know it to all the 80's teenagers. Braschi later dropped the character after a season in which he appeared in military uniform relating his experiences in the then-compulsory service in the Italian Army (then a rite of passage signalling detachment from the teenage years).
The Paninaro movement was also diffused in some European countries, and is immortalized in the 1986 cult song "Paninaro" by the Pet Shop Boys. Others Favourite songs of Paninari where mostly: "Wild Boys by the Duran Duran, "It's a sin" by the Pet Shop Boys, "samurai" by the Michael Cretu, "The Edge of the Heaven" by the Wham!, "C'mon c'mon" by the Bronski Beat. The most favourite singer where above all Pet shop Boys and Duran Duran, then Wham!, Bronski Beat/Communards and Culture Club.
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[edit] External links
[edit] References
- ^ Zingarelli Nicola, (2008), Dizionario della Lingua Italiana, Zanichelli
