Paninaro

Paninaro (plurally Paninari) is a Northern Italian youth subculture that originated in Milan during the early 1980s. This social phenomenon began during a period of economic prosperity in Italy, which led to consumerism among younger generations.

Members of the subculture were relatively young and glorified designer clothes and motorbikes as status symbols, lived a consumerist lifestyle, and often congregated in fast-food restaurants and bars.^[1]^[2]

One of the most notable locations was Il Panino, a bar located near Piazza San Babila, Milan. This earned them the name "paninaro" (derived from "panino", meaning "sandwich"). The phenomenon soon became known throughout Italy and Ticino (Switzerland) and led to the creation of numerous magazines, films, and television parodies.

History[]

The early 1980s were a period of economic prosperity and rising consumerism in Italy. The country had one of the strongest economies at the time, and the lira, the then national currency, was one of the most valued currencies internationally. This period contrasted with the previous decade, which was marked by political instability, social unrest, and terrorism. In this context, Italian society and especially younger generations became more fond of American influence, and generally didn't want to be associated with politics.^[3] The Canale 5 channel was launched in 1980 as Italy's first nationwide private television channel. It was owned by Silvio Berlusconi and broadcast American shows like Dallas, Alf, and Star Trek, and also had numerous commercials that promoted American-style consumerist values and the acquisition of status symbols.

The origins of the Paninaro subculture lie in Milan, which is known for its luxury brands and football. During this decade, the city was already home to various youth subcultures, such as Metalheads or Goths, both being known to frequent specific areas and for dressing in styles that stood out from the rest of society. In this social context, a new trend developed, similar to the others in its need to create a sense of belonging and shared identity. The members were predominantly young people, usually teenagers aged 16 to 18 or slightly older, who usually attended private schools and had generous allowances from their parents. They gathered around Piazza San Babila, creating their own slang and style based on the acquisition of very expensive designer clothes. However, this style was also widely accessible. The Milan fashion industry, having caught on to the new trend, began to provide what was necessary to conform to the new style at affordable prices.

One of the most defining characteristics of Paninaro culture is an obsession with fast food, as it challenged the Italian status-quo because it was completely the opposite of traditional food; it was faster and therefore seen as more convenient. In the paninoteche (sandwich bars) and fast-food restaurants in the centre of Milan, the subculture began to take shape through meet-ups. One of the earliest Paninaro hangouts was the bar "Al panino" in Piazza Liberty. This sandwich bar is the namesake of the term "Paninaro". This group established its own slang and a distinct style that revolved around acquiring specific Italian or foreign brands of clothing and accessories, displaying them for status. Later on, they seeked to have a more "truly American" experience, and moved onto the Burghy restaurant in Piazza San Babila, which emulated typical American fast-food dishes more accurately and eventually turned into a McDonald's.

Initially, the Paninaro subculture was primarily concentrated in Milan and the Milanese metropolitan area, as well as the region of Ticino in Switzerland. However, its popularity quickly expanded throughout Italy, primarily through the creation of commercials, magazines, television programs, and parodies. For example, the TV show "Drive In" has a Paninaro character played by Enzo Braschi. Even though it was a comedy show and the character was a stereotype, it still made more young people want to join the trend. As the movement continued to grow, magazines were created just for Paninari. One of these was called "Il Paninaro", which sold 100,000 copies each month. Other magazines like "Wild Boys" (named after the song of the same name by Duran Duran), "Zippo Panino", and "Il Cucador" also helped popularize the trend accross Italy.

The early Paninaro scene was derived from the previous "San Babilini" subculture, a group of neo-fascists who met up in Piazza San Babila in the 1970s, located near the Il Panino bar.^[4] This has led to Paninaro sometimes being characterized as a right-wing subculture due to their indirect connection to that group. However, as the scene grew, it became largely apolitical, focused on fun and fashion. During the last years of the phenomenon, some members (especially from wealthy high-class families) began identifying with conservative beliefs. This sometimes led to conflicts between them and groups that didn't share the same values. The influence of Paninari also began to decrease in the late-1980s as teenagers became old enough to attend universities. It was replaced with other subcultures, reflecting changing times.

Fashion[]

The Paninari combined Italian brands with American influences, such as C.P. Company's oversized outerwear and the French brand Moncler (at the time still French-owned) with American-made Timberland boots.^[5] In order to fit in, all worn pieces of clothing must've been from a luxury brand. Moncler puffer jackets were one of the most iconic elements of Paninaro fashion, typically in bright colours like sky blue, orange, or grass green. These were paired with classic Levi's 501 jeans and Timberland Yellow Boots. Other popular brands among the subculture included Stone Island, C.P. Company, and Vans shoes. The Paninaro subculture had a genderless approach to fashion, so both girls and boys wore the same look.

Lifestyle[]

The lifestyle of the Paninari centered on consumerism and a fascination with American pop culture. Fast-food restaurants were viewed as a symbol of the "American" way of life, and became major meet-up points for the subculture Their preference for fast food represented a shift away from traditional Italian dining habits and towards a more "on-the-go" lifestyle. This also ties into their habits; they often used motorcycles and mopeds.

Slang[]

PaninaroDictionary — The "Paninaro Dictionary"

The slang associated with the Paninaro subculture is a mix of Italianized English, local Lombard-language words, recontextualized English words, and original/invented terms. Sometimes, the phrases and words they used were directly references to pop culture and television advertisements, reflecting their consumerist lifestyle.

Popular phrases include:^[6]

Amburghese: Literally meaning "hamburger," describing someone who always wore white, referencing a chicken advertisement.
Appiovrare: To hit on a girl, like an octopus (piovra).
Arterio: An old person.
Broccolare: To hit on someone.
Burghino: Synonym for Paninaro.
Calfort: Meaning "cool," derived from a detergent brand.
Cifra: A lot (as in "I like it a lot").
Cinese: A left-wing student.
Cinghio: A "tamarro" (a non-Paninaro, someone unfashionable).
Ciumbia: An exclamation like "wow!"
Company: The group of friends.
Compilation: A collection of something.
Cuccare: To successfully pick up a girl.
Cucador: The macho guy.
Everyday: Always.
Falchettare: To cruise or show off, often while riding a motorcycle.
Floppy: A failure, by analogy with "flop".
Forte: Very ("to pick up girls successfully").
Fuori di melone: Crazy, out of one's mind.
Gaggio: A non-Paninaro, someone outside the group.
Gallo: A boy.
Gargarozzo/a: Throat.
Gino: The uncool, unlucky guy.
Giusto: Great, excellent (subjective).
Grano: Money.
Grippare: To grab something or someone.
Kiss: Kiss.
Libidine: Pleasure, enjoyment.
Mitragliare: To consume something (records, sandwiches) with avidity and enjoy it.
Okappa: Alright, in order.
Panozzo: Sandwich.
Ram: Something to forget as soon as possible (from computer RAM).
Ramboso: Tough (like Rambo).
Randa: A wanderer, vagabond in a positive sense.
Ruotare: To go around on a motorcycle.
Sapiens: Parents.
Sballo: Something fun (still used nowadays).
Schiaffazzi: Slaps.
Sfitinzia: A pretty girl, the feminine counterpart of a Paninaro. Sometimes considered sexist due to its connotations of a "dumb" girl.
Smerigliare il gargarozzo: To eat.
Squallor: Bad, negative ("things are bad today").
Tamarro: A non-Paninaro, someone unfashionable and unsophisticated.
Tarocco: Fake, imitation.
Very arrapation: Sexy.
Very original: Original.

Music[]

Paninari primarily listened to British or American music, usually genres such as synth-pop, dance, hip-hop, new wave, and new romantic. They generally rejected Italian music as part of youthful rebellion. A particularly influential song was "Wild Boys" by Duran Duran, which the Paninari adopted as the name of one of their magazines. Other popular artists within the subculture included Culture Club, Cindy Lauper, Wham!, Madonna, and Michael Jackson.

Despite their dislike of Italian music, Italo Disco, created by Italian musical artists such as Gazebo and Den Harrow, was the exception.^[7] Italo Disco in particular originated around the same decade and often features musical artists from Lombardy/Northern Italy imitating the styles of British and American musicians.

In 1986, Synth-pop duo Pet Shop Boys released a song titled "Paninaro" as the B-side to their single Suburbia. The song was composed following their visit to Milan, and was actually embraced by the movement. Neil Tennant explained that they created the song because they were drawn to the concept and their interests.

Brands[]

As Paninari were very brand-conscious, there are several labels associated with the style. For them, brands were more than just labels; they were symbols of belonging and status. Brands were usually either American or Italian. This aspect is similar to modern Hypebeast culture.