Amica

Italian women’s weekly news and fashion magazine founded in 1962 by Franco Sartori, Flavio Lucchini and Enrico Gramigna (the first editor-in-chief), and published by Rizzoli. Its name was chosen by Dino Buzzati, after a publication of the 1930s which illustrated the high fashion of Paris. For a period of time, the magazine focused exclusively on fashion and beauty, with the idea that women should “dream” and not be informed. Some years later, though, the “practical” aspect was emphasized with the introduction of paper patterns and advice about updating the wardrobe, leaving high fashion with just a very few pages, although always illustrated by Brunetta. In August 1981, Paolo Pietroni, the editor-in-chief from 1974 1979, returned to his previous post, succeeding Carla Giagnoni. Amica changed its format and target audience, showing a growing interest for products made in Italy. In those years the relationship between information and advertising changed as well. In 1990 Giovanna Mazzetti was appointed editor-in-chief, a position which she had shared with Pietroni since 1988. The addition of women’s supplements to Corriere della Sera (Io Donna) and la Repubblica (D) brought about a crisis at the magazine. In the Spring of 1998, the editorship was entrusted to Fabrizio Sclavi and Giusy Ferré.
Forty years after its first issue, Amica shut down but was again on newsstands by September, this time edited by Maria Luisa Rodotà with Emanuela Testori as fashion co-editor. The new direction of the magazine was seen in its pursuit of a new aesthetic in graphics and the fashion-image, achieved by photographers such as Jean Franµois Le Page, Kayt Jones, Hans Feurer and Karina Taira. The magazine was converted to a monthly.
Daniela Bianchini became the new director.