Latest news with #Sicily
The Sun
12 hours ago
- Entertainment
- The Sun
Model's completely see-through outfit for Sting's daughter's wedding branded ‘most inappropriate of all time' by fans
WHEN it comes to weddings all eyes should always be on the bride. That's why when a model turned up to Sting 's daughter's nuptials wearing a completely see-through dress - it was branded the "most inappropriate outfit of all time" by fans. 8 8 8 The rocker's eldest daughter Fuschia Kate Sumner, 43, wed fiance Max Wright at the weekend, but one guest threatened to steal the bride's thunder. The newlyweds tied the knot in Italy in an extravagant three-day ceremony in the Sicilian town of Noto. Proud dad Sting, 73, walked his beloved daughter, who goes by Kate, down the aisle. The bride wore a stunning lacy floor length wedding dress. However, Australian model Nicole Trunfio appeared to try and upstage the bride This is because she arrived wearing a sheer black outfit that left very little to the imagination. As Nicole strutted her stuff into the wedding, heads couldn't help but turn as jaws dropped. The brunette stunner opted for a completely see-through outfit that plunged at the front. Her sheer black underwear, that rode all the way up to her hips, could be seen underneath, and her bottom was almost completely on show. Nicole finished her racy look with sheer stockings and sky high black heels. Sting's son joins the police and says he has landed his dream job She accessorised with a huge cross around her neck with a black tie. Some fans were left disgruntled when they saw the model's outrageous ensemble, with one even saying that it was the "most inappropriate wedding outfit of all time". Despite Nicole's daring look, all eyes were still on Sting's daughter Kate as he walked her down the aisle to meet her groom. The actress wed long term partner Max, a creative director in the arts and tech space, in front of family and close friends. 8 8 Along with her famous dad, other guests included her step mum Trudie Styler. They were joined by Kate's older brother, musician Joe Sumner, 48, who reportedly treated guests to a live performance on his guitar. Kate, whose mother is Sting's first wife Frances Tomelty, was also joined by her half-siblings from his marriage to Trudie. This included maid-of-honour Mickey, 41, actor Eliot, 34, filmmaker Jake, 40, and actor Giacomo, 29.
Daily Mail
16 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
Is this the most inappropriate wedding outfit ever? Aussie model shocks as she wears sheer outfit and see-through underwear to Sting's daughter's nuptials in Sicily
An Aussie model threatened to steal the spotlight at the wedding of Sting's daughter Fuchsia Kate Sumner and her long-time partner Max Wright over the weekend. The happy couple tied the knot in Italy with an extravagant three-day ceremony in the Sicilian town of Noto. And while many guests were enraptured with the blushing bride, some couldn't take their eyes off Nicole Trunfio, who arrived in a very racy, sheer ensemble. The brunette beauty left little to the imagination as she flaunted her figure in a completely see-through black outfit. Her black underwear could be seen underneath as it sat high on her hips, with the frock also featuring a daring, low-cut neckline. From A-list scandals and red carpet mishaps to exclusive pictures and viral moments, subscribe to the DailyMail's new showbiz newsletter to stay in the loop. The completely see-through stockings clung to Nicole's figure and she finished off the look with strappy black heels. Her jewellery included a large gold ring and a huge cross secured around her neck with a black tie. Nicole added a classic leopard print clutch from Alexander McQueen to her ensemble—a designer bag which can be found secondhand for upwards of $1,400. The model finished her look with natural makeup, preferring to let her genetically blessed features shine through, and added a wave to her dark tresses. Meanwhile, Sting's daughter, who goes by Kate, looked stunning in a lace bridal gown as she kissed her groom during their extravagant pre-wedding street bash on Friday. Kate married Max in a glamorous three-day celebration in the Sicilian town of Noto over the weekend. The actress and director tied the knot with Max, a creative director in the arts and tech space, in front of family and close friends. Pictures showed the nepo baby having the time of her life with her then-fiancé before they tied the knot the morning after. On day one, guests enjoyed a street party complete with an Italian marching band and tucked into local fare including freshly baked Italian breads and aperitivo. In the evening, they attended a special performance of Una Serenata!—'A Serenade' in Italian—at the Teatro Comunale Tina di Lorenzo to celebrate local Sicilian traditions. Kate wore a white lace mermaid gown by Maison Valentino with a high neck and open back, while Max opted for a terracotta shirt and trousers. Family in attendance included Sting and his wife Trudie Styler, and Kate's older brother, musician Joe Sumner, 48, who at one point treated guests to live performances on his guitar. Kate, whose mother is Sting's first wife, the Northern Irish actress Frances Tomelty, was also joined by her half-siblings who are Sting's children with second wife Trudie. They include actress Mickey, 41—the maid of honour—musician and actor Eliot, 34, filmmaker Jake, 40, and actor Giacomo, 29. The next day brought the main event—but not without a near wardrobe disaster. For one of his outfits, Max realised the only shoelaces he had for his £720 beige Prada shoes were black. With no white laces to hand, a quick-thinking guest—American fashion stylist Erica Cloud—improvised by pulling the string from a shoe bag and threading it through his shoes. Crisis averted, the wedding ceremony took place and was held outdoors against a crimson and ivory floral backdrop. Kate wore a beautiful off-the-shoulder embroidered tulle gown with her initials embroidered on, while Max donned a light grey suit. After they exchanged vows, green and pink smoke flares shot up into the sky as they had their first kiss as husband and wife. The newlyweds then walked through the city with a beaming Kate holding their smartly dressed one-year-old son. At the reception, Sting delivered a show-stopping speech that was both heartfelt and hilarious. He joked about his early impressions of Max, unsure of what to make of the man after his daughter's heart, but quickly realised he was, in fact, 'a lovely chap'. Guests were in stitches but also, at times, in tears as the music icon described how happy he was for his daughter to have found the love of her life. Sister Mickey, who was joined by her new fiance Carter B Smith and her son from her previous marriage to tech CEO Chris Kantrowitz, also gave a speech during the reception—referring to Kate as 'the most beautiful bride'. Kate later described it as 'the best speech ever.' Her sibling Eliot, whose string of roles in Hollywood films include a security guard in the latest James Bond film, No Time To Die, was joined by their glamorous girlfriend, Mollie Davis. Eliot, who is non-binary, started dating the divorced mother-of-two last year after splitting from British aristocratic model Frankie Herbert, granddaughter of the 7th Earl of Carnarvon. Other guests included British film director Charlotte Colbert and her artist husband Philip Colbert, DJ Mia Moretti—who played a late-night set—and music label boss Henri Behrmann. The dinner, which took place at Dimora delle Balze—the same venue that hosted Italian influencer Chiara Ferragni and Fedez's 2018 wedding—was laid out on candlelit banquet tables. Guests dined on pasta, ciabatta, fresh fish, lobster and vegetables and toasted the couple underneath elegant fairy lights. After dinner, they danced late into the night to a soundtrack of Stevie Wonder classics including I Wish and disco favourites. Day three saw guests enjoy a final day of celebration, starting with 'a master blaster BBQ' to help cure hangovers from the night before. It featured a multi-layered barbeque station with chicken, fresh fruit and vegetables. Noto Mayor Corrado Figura blessed the festivities, meeting Sting on his arrival in the historic centre. He posed for a photo with the star, writing on social media: 'It was a great honour to welcome Sting, a global music icon, to the wedding of his daughter Fuschia Katherine Sumner and her partner Maximillian Wright, right here in the heart of Sicilian Baroque.' The mayor presented Sting with a book dedicated to Noto, calling it 'a small gift to thank him for sharing such an important moment for his family with us.' He added: 'Thank you to Fuschia, Maximillian and Sting for choosing Noto. Our city is proud to be part of this wonderful love story.' Kate and Max announced their engagement two years ago and Kate threw her hen's party last month—where she and her pals tucked into fried chicken and danced around in wigs. Friends describe Max as 'low-key, charming and utterly devoted'—a sentiment echoed in speeches throughout the wedding weekend.
Japan Times
21 hours ago
- Health
- Japan Times
Italy's abortion taboos challenged by new law in Sicily
Monia, a Sicilian woman in her early forties, was overjoyed when she discovered in October 2022 she was expecting her first child. Her doctor, however, recommended a genetic test due to her age, and the result was one no parent wants to receive. The fetus had a genetic syndrome. Monia, who declined to give her surname, asked her gynecologist what she could do. "Nothing. You don't want to terminate, do you?" the doctor asked her, she said. He was a conscientious objector, Monia said, one of hundreds on the southern Italian island. More than 80% of gynecologists in Sicily refuse to perform abortions for moral or religious reasons, according to the latest health ministry data, which dates to 2022, even though the procedure has been a legal right for women in Italy since 1978. To address that situation, in late May, Sicily's regional council — run by a center-right coalition — passed a law in a secret ballot requiring all public hospitals to create dedicated abortion wards and to hire staff willing to provide the service. Under the national rules, abortion is permitted within the first 90 days of a pregnancy, or later if there are risks to the mother's health or fetal abnormalities. The latter circumstance applied to Monia, who went to the Sant'Antonio Abate hospital in the city of Trapani, in western Sicily, to terminate her pregnancy. "All the gynecologists were objectors," she said. "An obstetrician gave me a bed with only a mattress cover and said they would administer a pill every three hours until I went into labor." She was told she would receive no further assistance. Her story is far from unique in southern Italy, where cultural traditions are more conservative than in the Catholic country's richer north and center. A general view of San Marco Hospital in Catania, Italy, on June 25. Under Italy's law, health workers are exempted from abortion procedures if they declare an ethical or religious objection, so long as the woman's life is not in immediate danger. | San Marco Hospital / via REUTERS At first, Monia's pills were ineffective, but after five days and a change of treatment, she finally miscarried, attended to by a doctor and a midwife. Hospital staff referred to her as "Article 6," she said, after the provision in the law that allows abortions beyond 90 days. In response to a request for comment, the Sant'Antonio Abate hospital said it was sorry for Monia's "difficult experience." However, the hospital said it was unable to verify the facts because both the hospital manager and the head of the gynecology department at that time had left. The hospital said it now has three non-objecting doctors and was able to provide abortion services. Abortions are only available in around half of Sicily's hospitals, health ministry data shows, a figure much lower than in central and northern Italy, where rates are around 70%. Like most of his colleagues, Fabio Guardala, a 60-year-old doctor, refuses to perform abortions. He operates at the Cannizzaro hospital in the Sicilian city of Catania, on the east coast of the island. "A doctor's job is to heal," said Guardala, who is also deputy head of a healthcare unit at his local Catholic church. "Abortion is not treatment but killing. Nobody can force a doctor to kill." Silvia Vaccari, president of the Italian federation of midwives, FNOPO, said health outcomes can be grim in areas where legal abortions are hard to access. "The absence of facilities sometimes leads people to turn to non-professionals, putting them at risk of death, or to continue with pregnancies and give birth to babies who are abandoned in places where they may never be found alive," she said. Catholic influence Most other European Union countries allow health workers to refuse to perform abortions on ethical grounds, according to a 2022 study published in the Acta Biomedica journal. But the right is generally exercised far less commonly than in southern Italy. One exception is deeply Catholic Poland, where abortion is only legal in cases of rape or incest or when a woman's health or life is at risk. The Acta study said many Polish women have been forced to travel abroad to terminate their pregnancies. Abortion has always been contentious in Italy, a Catholic country that hosts the Vatican. Right-leaning Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni passed legislation last year to try to deter women from terminating pregnancies. People demonstrate about abortion rights in Rome on Sept. 28, 2024. | REUTERS Anti-abortion groups have been allowed into abortion advice clinics, in a move Meloni's party said was aimed at giving women an opportunity for reflection before making a final decision. Nationally, the number of abortions dropped to 65,000 in 2022, according to the latest health ministry data, against 110,000 in 2011. More than 60% of gynecologists are conscientious objectors. On the island of Sardinia, the region's ruling, left-leaning 5-Star Movement last month presented a law proposal similar to the one adopted in Sicily, suggesting that other southern regions may soon follow its example. Dario Safina, a center-left Democratic Party lawmaker in Sicily and the promoter of the new law, said many Sicilian women seeking an abortion feel forced to resort to the private sector. "Access to abortion is not a problem for those who can afford it, because they can go to a private clinic. But health care based on wealth is the end of democracy," he said. Some doctors argue Sicily's high objection rates are not only due to ethics, but also to staff shortages and poor working conditions that make it harder for gynecologists to provide abortions on top of their regular duties. Data from the GIMBE Foundation, a health sector think tank, shows Sicily had nine health care workers per 1,000 residents in 2022, compared with a national average of 11.6 and far below the northern and central Emilia Romagna and Tuscany regions with 15. "Hospitals always try to exploit doctors' work without paying them properly, so sometimes professionals are reluctant to perform abortions," said Salvatore Incandela, head of the Sicilian arm of AOGOI, Italy's gynecologists' association. Italian anti-abortion group Pro-Life Together rejects this, saying non-objectors in Sicily were only required to perform 1.5 abortions a week, on average, in 2022 — still above a national average of 0.9. Legal challenges? Six Sicilian hospital managers and health professionals said the new legislation could strengthen the service, but it was still important to ensure doctors could opt out as allowed under 1978 national law that sanctioned the right to abortion. The entrance to the Day Surgery department of San Marco Hospital, in Catania, Italy, on June 25. Some doctors argue Sicily's high objection rates are not only due to ethics, but also to staff shortages and poor working conditions that make it harder for gynecologists to provide abortions on top of their regular duties. | San Marco Hospital / via REUTERS Under the law, health workers are exempted from abortion procedures if they declare an ethical or religious objection, so long as the woman's life is not in immediate danger. Gaetano Sirna, the director general of Catania's Policlinico-San Marco hospital, one of the city's largest, said even with just six non-objecting gynecologists out of a total of 39, he could still ensure abortions for those who needed them. "We have no problems guaranteeing the availability (of doctors) ... gynecologists are free to declare themselves as objectors; we do not discriminate," he said. Abortion is not the only case in which conscientious objection is permitted in Italy. It used to be grounds for avoiding compulsory military service, which was abolished in the early 2000s, and an opt-out for scientists from conducting animal experiments was introduced in the early 1990s. Giorgia Landolfo, a abortion-rights activist in Catania, called the new law in Sicily a "landmark," but said she feared it would be hard to enforce. Some anti-abortion groups say it will be challenged in court on the ground that job postings reserved for non-objectors discriminate against the others. "Many measures in the past aimed at hiring non-objectors have been challenged and ultimately came to nothing," said Vito Trojano, the head of SIGO, the Italian Obstetrics and Gynecology Society. Some Sicilian politicians who strongly oppose the new rules believe the region should instead bolster its health care and support facilities for pregnant women, who often feel abandoned and see no alternative to abortion. "Life is life from the moment of conception," said Margherita La Rocca, a Sicilian lawmaker from the center-right Forza Italia party. "The fetus cannot just be considered a clump of cells when it's convenient."
Malay Mail
a day ago
- Health
- Malay Mail
Sicilian women face uphill battle for abortion despite legal right, prompting new regional law
CATANIA, July 15 — Monia, a Sicilian woman in her early forties, was overjoyed when she discovered in October 2022 she was expecting her first child. Her doctor, however, recommended a genetic test due to her age, and the result was one no parent wants to receive. The foetus had a genetic syndrome. Monia, who declined to give her surname, asked her gynaecologist what she could do. 'Nothing. You don't want to terminate, do you?' the doctor asked her, she said. He was a conscientious objector, Monia said, one of hundreds on the southern Italian island. More than 80 per cent of gynaecologists in Sicily refuse to perform abortions for moral or religious reasons, according to the latest health ministry data, which dates to 2022, even though the procedure has been a legal right for women in Italy since 1978. To address that situation, in late May, Sicily's regional council — run by a centre-right coalition — passed a law in a secret ballot requiring all public hospitals to create dedicated abortion wards and to hire staff willing to provide the service. Under the national rules, abortion is permitted within the first 90 days of a pregnancy, or later if there are risks to the mother's health or foetal abnormalities. The latter circumstance applied to Monia, who went to the Sant'Antonio Abate hospital in the city of Trapani, in western Sicily, to terminate her pregnancy. 'All the gynaecologists were objectors,' she said. 'An obstetrician gave me a bed with only a mattress cover and said they would administer a pill every three hours until I went into labour.' She was told she would receive no further assistance. Her story is far from unique in southern Italy, where cultural traditions are more conservative than in the Catholic country's richer north and centre. At first, Monia's pills were ineffective, but after five days and a change of treatment, she finally miscarried, attended to by a doctor and a midwife. Hospital staff referred to her as 'Article 6,' she said, after the provision in the law that allows abortions beyond 90 days. In response to a request for comment, the Sant'Antonio Abate hospital said it was sorry for Monia's 'difficult experience'. However, the hospital said it was unable to verify the facts because both the hospital manager and the head of the gynaecology department at that time had left. The hospital said it now has three non-objecting doctors and was able to provide abortion services. Abortions are only available in around half of Sicily's hospitals, health ministry data shows, a figure much lower than in central and northern Italy, where rates are around 70 per cent. Like most of his colleagues, Fabio Guardala, a 60-year-old doctor, refuses to perform abortions. He operates at the Cannizzaro hospital in the Sicilian city of Catania, on the east coast of the island. 'A doctor's job is to heal,' said Guardala, who is also deputy head of a healthcare unit at his local Catholic church. 'Abortion is not treatment but killing. Nobody can force a doctor to kill.' Silvia Vaccari, president of the Italian federation of midwives, FNOPO, said health outcomes can be grim in areas where legal abortions are hard to access. 'The absence of facilities sometimes leads people to turn to non-professionals, putting them at risk of death, or to continue with pregnancies and give birth to babies who are abandoned in places where they may never be found alive,' she said. Catholic infuence Most other European Union countries allow health workers to refuse to perform abortions on ethical grounds, according to a 2022 study published in the Acta Biomedica journal. But the right is generally exercised far less commonly than in southern Italy. One exception is deeply Catholic Poland, where abortion is only legal in cases of rape or incest or when a woman's health or life is at risk. The Acta study said many Polish women have been forced to travel abroad to terminate their pregnancies. Abortion has always been contentious in Italy, a Catholic country that hosts the Vatican. Right-wing Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni passed legislation last year to try to deter women from terminating pregnancies. Pro-life groups have been allowed into abortion advice clinics, in a move Meloni's party said was aimed at giving women an opportunity for reflection before making a final decision. Nationally, the number of abortions dropped to 65,000 in 2022, according to the latest health ministry data, against 110,000 in 2011. More than 60% of gynaecologists are conscientious objectors. On the island of Sardinia, the region's ruling, left-leaning 5-Star Movement last month presented a law proposal similar to the one adopted in Sicily, suggesting that other southern regions may soon follow its example. Dario Safina, a centre-left Democratic Party lawmaker in Sicily and the promoter of the new law, said many Sicilian women seeking an abortion feel forced to resort to the private sector. 'Access to abortion is not a problem for those who can afford it, because they can go to a private clinic. But healthcare based on wealth is the end of democracy,' he said. Some doctors argue Sicily's high objection rates are not only due to ethics but also to staff shortages and poor working conditions that make it harder for gynaecologists to provide abortions on top of their regular duties. Data from the GIMBE Foundation, a health sector think-tank, shows Sicily had nine healthcare workers per 1,000 residents in 2022, compared with a national average of 11.6 and far below the northern and central Emilia Romagna and Tuscany regions with 15. 'Hospitals always try to exploit doctors' work without paying them properly, so sometimes professionals are reluctant to perform abortions,' said Salvatore Incandela, head of the Sicilian arm of AOGOI, Italy's gynaecologists' association. Italian anti-abortion group Pro-Life Together rejects this, saying non-objectors in Sicily were only required to perform 1.5 abortions a week on average in 2022 — still above a national average of 0.9. Legal challenges Six Sicilian hospital managers and health professionals contacted by Reuters said the new legislation could strengthen the service, but it was still important to ensure doctors could opt out as allowed under 1978 national law that sanctioned the right to abortion. Under the law, health workers are exempted from abortion procedures if they declare an ethical or religious objection, so long as the woman's life is not in immediate danger. Gaetano Sirna, the director general of Catania's Policlinico-San Marco hospital, one of the city's largest, said even with just six non-objecting gynaecologists out of a total of 39, he could still ensure abortions for those who needed them. 'We have no problems guaranteeing the availability (of doctors) ... gynaecologists are free to declare themselves as objectors; we do not discriminate,' he told Reuters. Abortion is not the only case in which conscientious objection is permitted in Italy. It used to be grounds for avoiding compulsory military service, which was abolished in the early 2000s, and an opt-out for scientists from conducting animal experiments was introduced in the early 1990s. Giorgia Landolfo, a pro-abortion activist in Catania, called the new law in Sicily a 'landmark,' but said she feared it would be hard to enforce. Some anti-abortion groups say it will be challenged in court on the ground that job postings reserved for non-objectors discriminate against the others. 'Many measures in the past aimed at hiring non-objectors have been challenged and ultimately came to nothing,' said Vito Trojano, the head of SIGO, the Italian Obstetrics and Gynaecology Society. Some Sicilian politicians who strongly oppose the new rules believe the region should instead bolster its healthcare and support facilities for pregnant women, who often feel abandoned and see no alternative to abortion. 'Life is life from the moment of conception,' said Margherita La Rocca, a Sicilian lawmaker from the centre-right Forza Italia party. 'The foetus cannot just be considered a clump of cells when it's convenient.' — AFP
Forbes
a day ago
- Business
- Forbes
Alileo Uses Creative Design, Sustainability, And Strategic Partnerships To Grow Its Wine Brand
Alileo collaborated with Roberta's Pizza for both fun branding and cross-promotion. Alileo Wine In today's wine market, quality alone doesn't guarantee attention. Distributors are consolidating, retail shelves favor established names, and younger drinkers are just as likely to reach for a canned cocktail as a bottle of Pinot Grigio. Alileo — a Sicilian boxed wine label co-founded by Antonio Bertone and Alexandra Drane — has managed to gain traction by combining high-quality, low-intervention wines with bold design and unconventional storytelling. 'We knew we didn't want to lead with the typical 'here are our varietals, here are our regions' approach,' says Bertone. 'The wine industry often lacks creativity. We wanted to start with the hook: what's the story we're telling?' From the outset, Alileo focused on differentiation. The founders opted for bag-in-box packaging instead of bottles, collaborated with a London-based agency to create visuals inspired by 1990s skate graphics, and embraced a direct, informal voice that resonates with younger consumers. Their tagline — 'Boxed wine is not a crime' — makes it clear: this is a serious product that doesn't take itself too seriously. Alileo uses Sicily as part of the story, but a modern version that avoids the leaning into heritage to sell wine. Alileo A Different Kind of Brand Story The Alileo concept was born around the founders' kitchen table with their children and Bertone's mother. Their goal: to build a wine brand that could speak to a younger audience while honoring the family's Sicilian roots. However, they were intentional about not relying too heavily on heritage as a marketing crutch. 'Sicily is where we come from, but the way we communicate is modern and practical,' says Bertone. 'We let heritage be the foundation, not the entire story.' To bring that vision to life visually, they partnered with the London-based creative agency Our Friends, with whom they had worked on prior projects. The packaging — centered around a collage-style tape motif — was intentionally designed to evoke the DIY aesthetic of teen bedrooms and skateboard decks. 'We wanted to appeal to a younger, edgier audience,' Bertone explains. 'It all ties back to bold, expressive '90s design culture.' The decision to use boxed wine format was made early on, during COVID-era discussions. 'From that first conversation, we knew we wanted to combine natural, low-intervention wines with an aesthetic that rivaled craft beer,' Bertone says. Packaging for modern convenience is also incredibly sustainable. Alileo Wine Packaging with Purpose Alileo uses a 1.5L bag-in-box format, the equivalent to two standard bottles. The wine stays fresh for over 30 days after opening, and the format significantly reduces the brand's carbon footprint compared to glass. In fact, Alileo emphasizes sustainability throughout its supply chain. The team earned B Corp certification in 2025 — the second winery in Sicily to achieve it and one of 100 in the world. 'Bag-in-box allows us to move more wine more efficiently, with a far smaller environmental footprint,' Bertone says. 'Sustainability is core to everything we do.' While environmental benefits are often cited in packaging decisions, many brands struggle with how to communicate them without sounding overly earnest. Alileo takes a more understated approach. 'We integrate sustainability into the brand experience without guilt-tripping consumers,' says Bertone. 'There's so much sustainability content out there that ends with 'make the world a better place'—which can feel out of reach. We aim to keep it real and relatable.' This positioning has resonated with both retailers and buyers. Kilolo Strobert, a sommelier and owner of Fermented Grapes in Brooklyn, says the packaging and sustainable messaging are assets, but they work because the wine delivers. 'People respond to the design, price, and easy-to-use packaging,' she says. 'But the taste and the longevity of the vacuum-sealed box is what keeps them coming back.' The Roberta's partnership has proven wildly successful as a new model for cross-promoting both brands. Alileo Wine Strategic Partnerships to Extend Reach In 2025, Alileo launched a limited-edition collaboration with Roberta's Pizza, the New York-based restaurant group known for its casual, creative approach to dining. The partnership included a custom-designed Alileo box featuring Roberta's graphics, offered at the brand's yard locations. 'We were looking for a large-format wine option for our outdoor spaces, something easy and shareable,' says Roberta's co-founder Brandon Hoy. 'Boxed wine made the most sense from a functionality standpoint. Then you add in Alileo's sustainability credentials and visual branding, and it became a natural fit.' Hoy adds that the box's smaller format — two bottles rather than the traditional four — made the product more approachable. 'In today's wine landscape, things can get expensive fast,' he says. 'Alileo offers something that tastes good and is still accessible at the price point.' Both brands share roots in skate culture, which helped shape the creative direction of the packaging. 'Antonio and I both have a love for skateboarding,' says Hoy. 'We pulled inspiration from that world, which made the partnership feel especially aligned.' Hoy also points out that Alileo has helped shift perceptions of what wine can be. 'They've shown us that a wine label can go beyond the bottle. It can tell a story and create a vibe, especially when paired with great design.' Growth Without Outside Investment Despite the challenges facing independent wine brands, from distributor consolidation and tight retail space, Alileo has expanded steadily. The brand is now available in seven U.S. states and is preparing for international distribution. It has achieved this growth without outside investment. 'Just being alive in this industry is an accomplishment,' says Bertone. 'Shelf space is dominated by giant players. People are responding to the story and, more importantly, they love the wine.' Success, he adds, isn't measured by revenue alone. 'We look at everything: social growth, email signups, press coverage, and general inbound interest. When you've worked with big brands, you take visibility for granted. Starting from scratch is tough, but we're seeing real momentum.' The original packaging of Alileo wine uses decorative tape across a sustainable box format to convey design and values to consumers Alileo Wine Lessons for the Broader Wine Industry As wine consumption flattens in many U.S. markets and competition from ready-to-drink cocktails grows, Bertone believes the wine industry needs to rethink how it communicates with consumers. 'The industry often leans too hard on history and overlooks relevance,' he says. 'It's not just about competing with the next wine region — it's about competing with canned cocktails, craft beer, and beyond.' He argues that wine needs to be positioned as joyful and inclusive, not intimidating. 'Wine has often leaned on heritage – think grandfathers planting vineyards — which can feel heavy. We highlight connection and joy with low-intervention, organic, no-sugar wines.' Retailers like Strobert agree that Alileo's design-forward approach has helped it break through a crowded field. 'Two bottles per box, great pricing, standout product design, and good options,' she says. 'In my store, it's appealing across the board.' When asked what other brands can learn from Alileo's playbook, Strobert offers a concise answer: 'Keep it simple.' The Bottom Line Alileo may not be the only boxed wine brand on the market, but it has carved out a clear identity through bold design, strategic partnerships, and a pragmatic but optimistic approach to sustainability. For other brands looking to stay relevant, Bertone offers this advice: 'Find joy in your story and tell it in today's language. I'd rather see a day in the life of your winery now than read about your 1800s vineyard legacy.' In an industry still clinging to glass bottles and heritage-heavy branding, Alileo is showing that a box, with the right story, can carry a lot more than wine.
