Aeronautica Militare is a prestigious Italian fashion brand that seamlessly blends military heritage with contemporary style. It is best known for its authentic connection to the Italian Air Force (Aeronautica Militare Italiana). The brand stands out for its distinctive use of official emblems, insignias, and squadron badges. Thus, the brand lends a sense of history and patriotism to each design.
Aeronautica Militare is owned by Cristiano di Thiene S.p.A., which is a family-run company based in Thiene, Veneto. The company was born from a legacy of fine Italian craftsmanship dating back to the 1960s. Originally, the brand specialised in producing high-quality leather jackets. Thereafter, the company evolved into a global fashion house that combines precision tailoring, functional design, and timeless elegance. This article delves into the evolution of the Aeronautica Militare logo, which did not change even once since 2004.
The Genesis of the Aeronautica Militare Logo (1960 – 2004)
The original visual identity, or insignia, of Aeronautica Militare featured a heraldic shield with a red turbaned man riding a horse at the centre. The top of the shield had the wordmark “LEADER IN LEATHER”, while the bottom ribbon-like element showed the name of the founder, “CRISTIANO DI THIENE” – both in uppercase.
(2004 – Present)
In 2004, the Aeronautica Militare logo struck a balance between tradition and innovation. It consists of two graphical emblems at the top and bottom and the brand name placed in between. The top showed a soaring bird motif in golden colour with dark accents. The bird had a crown-like element placed at the top. The brand name “AERONAUTICA MILITARE” in navy blue colour appeared below the bird motif in a heavy, bold slab serif typeface. At the bottom appeared a roundel with three concentric rings of red, green, and white colours (the colours of the Italian flag).
(2023) (Centenary Logo)
To commemorate the hundred years of Aeronautica Militare, the company introduced a logo in 2023. It featured the symbolic number “100”, where the overlapping digits “1”, “0”, and “0” were placed in a particular order in futuristic style to show the centenary. In fact, the zeroes represent the shock waves created by a supersonic aircraft.
The logo also showcases a semi-circle in the left lower side to symbolise the continuity in the history of the Air Force. According to this, the aircraft on the left lower side represents the bygone era, while the one on the top right represents the modern era. The tagline “In volo verso il futuro” means “Flight into the future” and conveys the direction of the Italian Air Force into the future.
The Elements of the Aeronautica Militare Logo
Symbol
The graphical emblem in the Aeronautica Militare logo consists of a soaring bird with expansive wings. The bird is depicted in gold with contrasting darker trim. A crown is positioned above the bird’s back, which adds to the ornate design. Further, the bottom part of the logo has a roundel that features three concentric rings in red, green, and white, the colours of the Italian flag.
Font
Under the soaring bird graphical emblem lies the text “AERONAUTICA Militare” in navy blue letters in uppercase. The wordmark is written using a sturdy and bold slab serif typeface, which contributes to the logo’s commanding presence.
Colour
The Aeronautica Militare logo displays many colours. These include a navy blue wordmark, a roundel donning red, green, and white colours, and a golden-coloured soaring bird motif.
Finally
The Aeronautica Militare logo epitomises the journey of military aviation itself. It serves as a visual testament of the brand and encapsulates the dynamic evolution of Aeronautica Militare as well as the soaring journey of aviation as a whole.