The shopping in Milano has people here from over the world to out class each other with shows of beauty and status. There are people in full suits, with the latest bag, and wearing their Gucci belt. I am next to the shopping district, which comes with its biases, but of course Milano is known for its shopping and designer brands like Prada, Dolce and Gabbana, Gucci, Saint Lauren, and more.
The fashion here is an experience in itself. The designers do things like put desirable items, or a fabulous show room, at the back of the store to draw people into the store, and encourage them to explore the gallery of items. Many of the stores have an open layout with plenty of unused space which makes the store appear larger, and makes me feel like the items are special or curated instead of assembly line items. The best things in life are one of a kind. Maybe that's what makes relationships so special, because we are made for each other as friends, lovers, or even acquaintances. The unique person we meet has the capacity to ignite something inside of us that we might not otherwise know.
Experiences and places are like that too, they unlock us. Milan has done that for my mind on sales and knowing how to display a product. One of the companies that does this best is the Apple Store. Notice the open layout, the personalized service, where someone meets you at a table anywhere in the store to take care of you. It's more natural as a process where the seller meets the customer where they show interest. The store is bright and full of colors that make the place feel alive. There is a feeling that the product is one of a kind because the design is minimalistic. Things are displayed to demonstrate that they are worth investing time in looking at them even as a work of art.
Dolce and Gabbana might as well be a lounge, Armani even has a restaurant, and Prada — two stores in the center square. They all seem to fit different classes of people and interests which makes them harmonious in the city. It doesn't seem to be a competition, but instead, in large part, a product market fit. I assume this might be one of the reasons Milan's influence in fashion has grown so much over the years — all these designers have been able to survive and thrive rather than eating at each other's profits. They all fit their space perfectly.
The world would be great to be able to achieve this as well. Instead of fighting each other and spending time mimicking other companies, using their unique creativity and vision to create their piece of the future. The more we can work like a bee hive or a ant colony in that people help each other out, work on their own space and make contributions to the overall benefit of the species, the better we will be. Humans though are a little different, that we are unique and autonomous and our goal is not simply go get cuisine for the queen bee or ant so that the colony grows.
Since our colony is already extending the resources on the planet, we can instead focus on the art and foundational structure of society — technology. Which we have been doing for some time, so we are well on our way, and will find more harmony in our individual roles over the coming decades. Just like the shops in Milan! Well integrated — art! We can welcome another renaissance as a people if we should allow it, and it has started with influencers and the monetization of social media platforms.
As long as people will encourage the arts instead of superficial conquests, we will be on our way! Milano, thank you!