Found in Translation

Global Glamour
How does an Italian fashion brand know if its new product line is being
received well in an English-speaking market like the United States? The
marketing team can get a sense of the buzz it’s creating when it receives a
review titled “Rough and Ready: Take the Rough with the Smooth with Miu
Miu’s Texture Heels.” But what if the review is in English, and not all of the
Italian-speaking marketing staff who need to read it can understand that
language? That’s where translator Sara Radaelli comes in. She converts the
review from English into Italian on behalf of Miu Miu, one of the many high-
end fashion houses whose international press clippings she translates. She
performs translations of articles like these so that the public relations and
marketing staff can understand exactly how the product is being received by
the fashion press in local markets. She diligently annotates her translation,
making sure that the client understands that “taking the rough with the smooth”
in English plays on the idea of contrast.
Very few translators speak the language of luxury. And, even though
Radaelli translates from French and English into Italian, it’s her ability to
navigate the preferred terminology of high-end customers that differentiates
her work. A native of Milan, she translates such content not only for Miu Miu,
but for Prada, Louis Vuitton, Cartier, Rolex, Miu Miu, Omega, Dior, Hermès,
Harry Winston, Dolce & Gabbana, Emilio Pucci, and LaCoste.
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Radaelli finds some of the most challenging terminology in articles from
the media, which are often riddled with slang terms. Sometimes, cultural
references can be problematic, but so too can references to different types of
clothing or fabric. She points out that many terms from the fashion world are
not translated into Italian, but often stay in English or French. For example, the
word for skirt suit in Italian is the French word tailleur. Likewise, French
words such as culottes or bustier stay in French when translated into English
because they have become part of the language.

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Working for luxury brands is not always glamorous. Much of the translation
work is dry—such as boilerplate text for legal contracts and repetitive material
in catalogs. But all in all, it is important work. Translators who work in this
area are not just translating words for their clients. They are helping them
build their global images.