My cousin gifted us these adorable scooters. But our shoot schedule is already booked for the remainder of the year. I had to do a little rearranging to fit in something using these cuties. I started brainstorming: not sure how to incorporate the word time into the title to go with this month’s series ‘Summer Time, Livin’s Easy.’
What could be our theme? And how could we use these little scooters for it? I woke up the next morning with the idea of Time Traveling or Time Travelers. Ok, that’s great and will work. Now let’s make it make sense. Thus some brief research ensued.
First: Let’s learn a little about the Vespa. The Vespa story begins in the aftermath of WW II in Italy, 1946. The economy was left crippled and the roads were in a disastrous state which made it difficult for the automobile and other manufacturers to reemerge. The Piaggio family of Pontedera, Italy, who was involved in the aerospace industry, decided to find a way to reinvent their business by addressing Italy’s need for a modern and affordable mode of transportation for the masses.
2nd generation Enrico Piaggio had an idea for a 2 wheeled vehicle that would be inexpensive to produce and reliable… perfect for struggling Italians who still needed a way to get around. (source)
While researching Italian fashion during the late 40’s I came across a fashion designer who started making dresses out of aprons, dishcloths, and other trimmings because material and textiles were scarce post-WW II. She later became a fashion icon of her time.
Simonetta Colonna di Cesarò was an Italian countess who became known as one of the most celebrated Italian fashion designers of her time and was described as the first lady of Italian fashion. She was a member of the Colonna family. (source)