There is a precise moment, when we meet someone for the first time, that lasts only a few seconds, yet holds the power to shape everything that will follow.
It’s in that instant that we decide, or better, we feel, whether the person in front of us inspires trust, curiosity, friendliness… or, on the contrary, distrust and suspicion.
The crucial power of first impressions is confirmed by a wealth of scientific evidence: our brain is programmed to register the signals it receives, a gaze, a voice, a posture, within seconds, and turn them into a sort of invisible label that sticks with us for a long time.
Have you ever met someone and thought, “What an unpleasant person!”… only to completely change your mind after an enjoyable conversation?
Or perhaps you’ve had an excellent first impression of someone who later failed to live up to expectations?
Or again, how many times have you had a “gut feeling” about someone that, in hindsight, you probably should have paid more attention to?
These are experiences we’ve all had, and they confirm the importance of the subtle dynamics of human communication, dynamics that operate even before words, and far beyond them.
It is precisely from this awareness that the experiential workshop
First Impressions Matter, developed by Pineider in collaboration with the Italian Etiquette Society, was created.
It is dedicated to those who wish to present themselves at their best from the very first moment, not through tricks or artifices, but by mastering the tools that make every encounter more natural, confident, and elegant.
Personal Presentation
A first impression is formed in the blink of an eye, but solidifies in the minutes that follow: how we introduce ourselves, how we greet, how we present others. During the workshop, we will discover why etiquette is never just formality, and how small details can convey authority, or, conversely, create discomfort. We will learn that a good introduction is not a bureaucratic ritual but the first gesture of consideration toward the person in front of us.
The Rules of Introductions
We will explore the rules of ranking and precedence, often considered complicated, yet actually simple when guided by common sense, and learn how to use them to highlight the value of each interlocutor. We’ll discover why adding a personal detail can turn two strangers into potential conversational allies, and how to navigate those awkward moments when a name slips our mind or memory fails us.
The Handshake
We’ll also talk about one of the most universal gestures, the handshake. A greeting we often take for granted today, yet one that carries millennia of history and profound meaning. Not every culture uses it, but in the business world it has become the ultimate code of recognition. Why? Because it is the only skin-to-skin contact we allow ourselves with people outside our intimate circle. It’s a gesture that conveys not only information, decisiveness, confidence, openness, but emotion. And our brain registers it as a powerful experience.
During the workshop, we will test different types of handshakes, learn how to calibrate strength and duration, and above all, discover what we communicate without even realizing it. Because even behind an apparently simple gesture lies a silent language that everyone understands.
How to Participate and Why
The workshop dedicated to First Impressions will take place on the morning of Saturday, September 20, at the historic Pineider Boutique on Via Manzoni, in Milan. To participate, registration is required, here.
But why take part?
Because training your first impression means becoming memorable, and giving yourself an advantage in both personal and professional relationships. The difference between an encounter that fades away and one that opens new possibilities often lies right there, in those initial interactions.
This is why first impressions matter, and learning to manage them consciously is an investment that always pays back more than we imagine.