Hello and welcome to our program, Working Abroad. Our guest this evening is a Londoner, who lives and works in Italy. Her name's Susan Hill. Susan, welcome to the program. You live in Florence. How long have you been living there?
since nineteen eighty two, but when I went there in nineteen eighty two, I plan to stay for only 6 months.
Why did you change your mind?
Well, soon after I arrived in Florence, I got a job with one of Italy's Top companies, Ferragamo, so I decided to stay.
Oh, lucky. Do you still work for Ferragamo now?
No, I left there in nineteen eighty eight. I've been a free designer since then. I've designed for some Italian companies as well as to American companies and in the last 5 years I've also been designing for the British company Burberry.
What have you been designing for them?
Mostly handbags and sometimes shoes and leather jackets.
How's your industry changed since nineteen eighty two?
It's become a lot more competitive because the quality of products from other countries has improved a lot, but Italian quality and design is still world famous.