Vespa

Let’s Vespa: 80 years of an icon

There are vehicles that take us from A to B. And then there are vehicles that suddenly make everything seem a little easier. Like the Vespa. For 80 years, it has been with us through cities, summers and everyday stories. And through love stories, of course. We take a look back at its eventful history.

Text
Michael Köckritz | Verena Stuhlinger
Photos
Piaggio Group Press Office

When the Vespa was launched in 1946, Europe was still caught between a sense of renewal and exhaustion. People needed affordable transport – something practical and reliable. Piaggio originally built aeroplanes. Then, suddenly, scooters. The engineer Corradino D’Ascanio is said not to have been particularly fond of motorbikes – too uncomfortable, too complicated, too dirty. So, on behalf of Enrico Piaggio, he developed something different: a vehicle with a step-through design, concealed mechanics and a shape that looked less like a machine and more like movement.

When Piaggio saw the prototype, he said: “Sembra una vespa.” It looks like a wasp. The name stuck. So did the story.

So, since 1946, the Vespa has been telling stories of freedom. It was never really about a technical history. The Vespa tells a cultural story. An Italian one, of course.

This story is now being retold in the heart of Italy: from 25 to 28 June, Rome will welcome thousands of Vespa enthusiasts from all over the world to the biggest Vespa gathering of all time – four days of parades, competitions, concerts and get-togethers celebrating this iconic scooter. At the heart of the anniversary celebrations is the Foro Italico, which will be transformed into the Vespa Village for the duration of the event.

And, of course, visitors can look forward to a stylish finale to the festival on Sunday: the Concorso d’Eleganza will showcase the rarest, most beautiful and most extraordinary models.

“In Rome, we are not only celebrating 80 years of a brand, but 80 years of a way of life that has shaped generations around the world.”

Davide Zanolini – Executive Vice President, Global Marketing & Communication, Piaggio Group

The highlight is the exhibition ‘80 Years of an Icon’, curated by Giacomo Bretzel. It traces the history and global influence of the Vespa brand and brings together rare models as well as previously unpublished photographs from the historic Piaggio archive and private collections. The exhibition spans the period from the post-war years to the present day and shows how a means of transport became a cultural icon.

1/5

Following its premiere in Rome, “Vespa. 80 Years of an Icon – The Exhibition” will move on to the Piaggio Museum in Pontedera, where it will be on display from 9 July to 7 November 2026.

“Set against a backdrop of sun-drenched coastal roads and classic architecture, the Vespa becomes a kind of visual diary. It tells a story of a spirit of discovery, of community, and of the sense of connection and independence that it has always embodied.”

Giacomo Bretzel, photographer

And perhaps that is precisely the secret of its success. The fact that the Vespa has never been just about the vehicle itself. It is a machine for creating memories, a cultural companion and a symbol of small personal freedoms. It never set out to prove anything to anyone. It simply wanted to set off.

©Assouline

Book recommendation

If you can’t make it to Rome this week, we have a little consolation for you. With the opulent illustrated book »Vespa« by our editor-in-chief Michael Köckritz, published by Assouline, you can bring this iconic scooter straight into your home.

→ Assouline

If you do manage to get to Rome, you’ll find all the information about the Vespa festival here:

→ vespaworldclub.org

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Let’s Vespa: 80 years of an icon

→ Assouline

→ vespaworldclub.org

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