To express what makes Vespa so revolutionary and innovative, requires beginning at the origin of the brand. Focusing on the year 1946 – when Vespa was founded – reveals all the elements which continue to make this scooter an icon of style and innovation.  Quite simply, over the years, Vespa has been able to engage with the zeitgeist, no matter the era, and often in a unique way.

Vespa was an original, useful and beautiful product that immediately won over the hearts of a post-WWII public when Italy was clamouring for a comeback. Vespa’s creator, Corradino d’Ascanio, was an ingenious designer with a technology-first mentality who blended creativity and mechanical engineering into a functional, aerodynamic and simple vehicle.

Vespa's story begins in 1946. Above all, it was built through communication and today the scooter embodies three main tenants - heritage, modernity and the art of living, which makes it an “icon on wheels”. In fact, Vespa was born under the banner of innovation as a revolution in mobility, but it quickly transformed into an icon of style due to its ability to engage with the zeitgeist, no matter the era. Initially, Vespa was a “driving force of change” in the lifestyle of post-war Italians because of its eclectic DNA that blended creativity with engineering. Vespa launched a communication revolution that made its way around the world and sparked a brand-new way for people to express themselves. As an amplifier of youth culture, Vespa was used by the Mods who treated the road as a stage. From this, Vespa became increasingly popular, fashionable and modern. Its element of distinction is its ability to encompass an entire “lifestyle” that continues to align the brand with fashionable people who want to show off their originality, exuberance and out-the-box mentality, under the banner of light-heartedness. Vespa’s youthful spirit is clearly represented in the color schemes of the models, as well as its collaboration with rising streetwear designers. Its special engine also gives it a truly unique point of view. Innovative and original by design, Vespa proved from the start to be a cutting-edge vehicle especially suited for women riders, who saw themselves reflected through each passing decade in Vespa’s advertisements.