Author(s): Louise Fili

Design

After vino, pasta and cheese, signs are Italy's most iconic product. Italy is the birthplace of the Western alphabet and beautiful signs are everywhere. From stone inscriptions and reliefs to neon lighting and illuminated glass, Graphica della Strada is a photographic diary of hundreds of restaurant, shop, hotel, street and advertising signs from cites and towns throughout Italy. Spare, ornate, or wildy fanciful, they are painted on glass, wood and metal; some are enamel, still others mosaic. From thousands of signs, photographed over two decades, renowned graphic designer Louise Fili curates a captivating collection of her colourful, whimsical, typographically inventive and often breathtaking favourites. Designers and Italophiles alike will be charmed by this visually stunning typographic love letter to Italy.