IN 1946, the Italian company Piaggio, originally a builder of aircraft and an outfitter of ships, unveiled a new vehicle—a lightweight scooter dubbed the Vespa. Cities in postwar Italy were rubble-pocked mazes of narrow lanes, and the nimble Vespa was a means of maneuvering through them. The scooter’s chic exterior concealed its greasy inner workings, and its step-through design allowed women in dresses to easily sidle on and off. The Vespa soon became an icon of midcentury European style, but its initial success was rooted in functionality. This was a novel mode of urban transport perfectly suited to its context.

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