Italian and Nordic Design Cultures: Identities in Transition 1925–2025

Introduction to the volume that explores the histories and cultures of Italian and Nordic design from 1925 to the present, questioning the idea that national or regional design identities are fixed or self-contained. Born from the 2023 seminar Design Cultures in Italy and the Nordic Countries, the book brings together comparative, national and transnational studies examining how design identities are produced, contested and reshaped. Italy and the Nordic countries offer a productive field for comparison. Both became international symbols of modern design in the mid-twentieth century, while developing under different industrial, social and cultural conditions. Their histories reveal moments of mutual influence a s well a s divergence: from the dialogue between Italian and Scandinavian design in the 1950s and 1960s, to radical and postmodern experimentation, changing industrial structures, environmental concerns and new forms of cultural positioning. The book is organised around three processes: "Translating" considers the circulation and mediation of ideas, objects and styles; “Transforming" investigates h o w traditions and identities change through materials, technologies, heritage and globalisation; "Transgressing" focuses on moments when designers and institutions challenge disciplinary, social and political boundaries. Across fields including furniture, jewellery, glass, graphic design, fashion and architecture, the volume presents design cultures as dynamic systems of interaction and negotiation, offering a fluid understanding of identity, culture and history.