This year, luxury department store group Harrods has decided to team up with Dolce & Gabbana fashion group for its Christmas Market. A place which is an entire floor of the store, completely dedicated to Made in Italy products. As for food, Di Martino’s pasta stands out thanks to its quality and limited-edition packaging. Dolce & Gabbana has indeed designed the customized packaging for a handful of pasta shapes, along with that custom-designed apron. The engaging, limited-edition pasta wrappings are made for three shapes (spaghetti, the tubular paccheri, and penne mezzani rigate). The design features old-school southern Italian figures, such as a Sophia Loren-esque brunette holding a plate of tomato-sauced pasta, interspersed with brightly colored tiles, and the tagline, “La Famiglia, La Pasta, e L’Italia!” (“Family, Pasta and Italy!”) Although the packaging evokes southern Italy, there are illustrations of landmarks from all over the country—including the Duomo of Milan, a Venetian canal, the Colosseum, and the Leaning Tower of Pisa.
The partnership
In September, the iconoclastic Italian designer house Dolce & Gabbana sent a parade of food-oriented outfits down the runway at the Paris show for its Spring 2018 collection, including high-waisted, carrot-and-radish-printed pants, a ruffled dress emblazoned with cannoli, and a skirt printed with cans of tomatoes. Last fall, the duo partnered with the venerable Italian pasta maker Pastificio Di Martino to produce an extremely limited edition tin of pastas along with a D&G-designed apron. Only 5,000 of the tins will be available worldwide. Also online: https://www.dimartinodolcegabbana.com/landing-italy. Di Martino has been in the pasta business since 1912; its product was the first pasta to cross the Panama Canal. It’s pastas are now available worldwide. Di Martino produces more than 9,000 tons of pasta a day in 125 different shapes, made from 100 percent Italian durum wheat. Its great chewy, nonsticky texture has been lauded by such organizations as Slow Food. In London, the tins are currently adorning holiday windows at Harrods, where Dolce & Gabbana is outfitting many of the displays. Prepared the traditional way, Di Martino’s artisanal pasta is made in the Italian town of Gragnano, near Naples, with humble yet high-quality ingredients. The gift set customers can find at Harrods is perfect for foodies, including five packets of pasta and a branded apron.