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#Subculture
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#Vespa
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For those who love motorcycles, Vespa should be no stranger. Recently, it partnered with Justin Bieber to bring Vespa back to the spotlight. The all-white Vespa Sprint body, with its grey flame and Justin Bieber moniker, is equipped with a 50cc, 125cc and 150cc generator, along with gloves and a white helmet, making the overall vision harmonious and comfortable.
Justin Bieber x Vespa Sprint | Via Yanko Design
In fact, before the Justin Bieber collaboration, there were Giorgio Armani's all-black Vespa 946, Vespa 946 printed with DIOR classic prints, and Vespa Primavera with the visual characteristics of artist Sean Wotherspoon, which gave Vespa a lot of fashion styles and confirmed its status in the cultural field.
DIOR x Vespa 946 | Via VOGUE
Sean Wotherspoon x Vespa Primavera | Vespa Street
Vespa, which has always been regarded as a symbol of freedom, has such an influence to become the object of cooperation in the fashion industry? Maybe it was because it had a place in Hollywood movies, maybe it was one of the hallmarks of the subcultural Mods community in the '60s, and it all started in the 1940s.
Italian symbol
Louis Street
After World War II, the Italian economy was in ruins, and the Piaggio company, which had been an aircraft manufacturing plant, was destroyed in the war, and Enrico Piaggio, the son of the company's founder, inherited the inheritance and was responsible for rebuilding the factory. But the road conditions after the war were so bad that Enrico Piaggio decided to design a cheap, mass-produced motorcycle as a means of transportation to replace the original aircraft manufacturing business.
Vespa MP6 | Via Flickr
Like when we were children, they were called "women's motorcycles" or "little sheep" now, and although we have seen the appearance of motorcycles like the Vespa, before 1945, motorcycles with exposed chains and engines were mostly popular on the market, whether military or civilian. Then, in collaboration with Enrico Piaggio and former aircraft designer Corradino D'Ascanio, the new Vespa motorcycle was designed to be much lighter and more convenient than it used to be cumbersome and difficult to repair.
Vespa Poster | Via Google
The advantages of this motorcycle, introduced in 1946, are that the engine is wrapped in a shell to prevent the rider's clothes from getting dirty; the front bezel is high, the handle and seat space are more convenient for women to ride in skirts; the wheels are small, the seats are relatively large, and the cushions are comfortable. At the same time, because the foot of the motorcycle looks like the slender waist of a wasp from the side, Enrico Piaggio calls it "Vespa", which means "wasp" in Italian.
Via ebay
From its inception to the total production exceeded the million mark, Vespa has been controversial during the launch period, but it is undeniable that its modern appearance has pioneered, and its influence continues to this day, Vespa has developed hundreds of motorcycle models such as Primavera, Sprint, 946 and so on, including our more popular hybrid motorcycles using internal combustion engines and electric motors.
Because of its small horsepower and small size, it is ideal for everyday use, even if it is driven on congested streets or narrow village roads, it can be easily traveled, and the price is cheaper than a car, Vepsa began in the last century in Italy, and even in the world caused a boom. At the same time, Vespa has developed a motorcycle-related culture and lifestyle.
Roman Holiday | Via Hindustan Times
Roman Holiday | Via Italian Ways
The movie is the best proof of its popularity. As the first American film to be produced in Italy, Roman Holiday, the Vespa motorcycle was used as a movie prop and symbolized the italian country. The actor in the play, Joe Bradley, drives a Vespa motorcycle carrying Princess Anne, and Vespa sales have skyrocketed as the film won multiple Oscars that year.
"Genius Ripley" | Via Reddit
Dear Diary | Via Film Movement
At the same time, movies such as "Genius Ripley" and "Alfie" have also appeared on Vespa motorcycles, and "Dear Diary" even directly named the first chapter "In Vespa", telling the story of the protagonist Nanni Moretti in the hot summer of Rome, fully immersed in his favorite hobby, riding his Vespa through the semi-deserted city streets.
There is also the movie "Quadrophenia" (Quadruple Personality), and the Vespa motorcycle is also frequently featured in this film, but it is not as simple as a movie prop here, but as a symbol of the subcultural Mods community.
British Mods subcultural icon
"Quadruple Personality" | Via Poster America
Earlier we mentioned the film "Quadruple Personality" in a "subcultural film" article, in 1964 a group of Mods in M65 parka coats and tight tailored suits in London, riding modified Vespa motorcycles through the streets. From a team ride on the West Coast to the final protagonist's return to the seaside town, Vespa (or another Lambretta motorcycle) plays an important "role" and sets the stage for the protagonist's emotional turn.
Rockers vs Mods | Via Google
The film truly recreates the activities of the Mods group, including the various conflicts between Mods and Rockers, but in the face of the Triumph motorcycle with the "off-road flavor" ridden by Rockers, why can the small and exquisite Vespa motorcycle get the favor of Mods?
"Quadruple Personality" | Via Pinterest
In the post-war, post-rationing (government control, control of goods, resources, and service supplies) and post-national conscription eras in Britain in the 1960s, teen Mods did not need to spend their earned money on household use, as their parents or previous generations had, but had more disposable income and leisure time, making full use of clothing, music and travel tools, trying to reshape the definition of young, modern and British.
Via Peter Francis
At the same time, Mods is derived from the English word "Modernism", that is, modernism. Whether it's the transformation of favorite music from modern jazz to more "modern" genres such as American rhythms, blues, and soul music, or hoping to transcend the wealthy class with suits that resemble Italian or French cuts, Mods pursues a sense of modern sophistication that is seen as a "clean life in difficult circumstances".
Via Reddit
So about 20 years after its launch, Vespa has naturally become a Mods mobility tool and its representative feature. After all, its appearance at that time, can be described as modern, there is no rough lines, the presence of the front baffle, the engine is wrapped in the shell also makes the rider more comfortable and convenient to use. At the same time, Mods often lingers in various clubs from dusk to dawn, and vehicles such as buses and subways stop operating before the early hours of the morning, and motorcycles such as Vespa have become much more convenient and free for Mods.
Via ALT MOTO CULT
But the consistent motorcycle appearance didn't satisfy Mods's quest for "uniqueness," so they saw Vespa as a fashion accessory and began to make a lot of changes, which was also reflected in the "Quadruple Personality" movie. Usually Mods uses a lot of luggage racks, spotlights, mirrors to "dress up" the front of the car or the entire motorcycle, while the seats, spare tire covers and backrests are covered with a variety of patterned fabrics for visual appeal.
Vespa commercial with Mods style | Via Pinterest
Although the Mods craze disappeared in the mid-1960s, Mods, like other subcultures, began to tap into the mainstream aesthetic. With the "publicity" of Hollywood movies and the image of Mods, Vespa saw the possibility of marketing in these trends, and then in the promotional posters of major motorcycles, Vespa was often associated with celebrities, so it received a lot of attention and popularity.
If you search the web for "Why is Vespa so expensive?" The first answer to this question is: "1. Buying is culture, Vespa brand culture has a strong Italian flavor." 2, buy is the quality, Vespa details workmanship is perfect, many parts on the body down to see are works of art. It's like having a big beloved toy, even when you wipe the car, it's a pleasure."
That's why Vepsa is still standing after a century. At the same time, its "practical and modern" characteristics have fascinated the fashion industry. Perhaps these collaborations are not about homaging to classic films or recreating subcultural scenes, but simply going back to the original intention of Vespa when it was launched – cheap, convenient and other advantages that make it a classic status and a symbol of Italian freedom, as Justin Bieber said in this collaboration: "My first time riding Vespa was somewhere in Europe, maybe London or Paris; I love Vespa, and it's so cool to work with such a classic brand."
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