The People

A cocktail of émigré Spanish, Italian, British and French bloods, and the home of cattle culture, Argentina is where the survivor mentality meets the herd instinct, with sometimes chaotic but always fascinating results.

Among many dominant Italian traits in the Argentine mentality comes a love of family, friends and formality combined with a narcissistic streak: far better to dress the part, look good and say the right things, than stand out and court controversy. The Argentines lavish fortunes on cosmetics and clothing to meet the expectations heaped upon them. Argentine teenagers, for example, are unrivalled in their inherent love for the finer things in life. This urge for conformity is reflected in Argentine dress-sense and fashion, where a love of classicism and uniformity combines with a strong sense of occasion.