Report: A New History of "Made in Italy": Fashion and Textiles in Post-War Italy | Research Publication Grant recipient

Reports

3 April, 2025 -

Lucia Savi, Head of Curatorial and Interpretation at the Design Museum, reports on the publication of their monograph A New History of "Made in Italy": Fashion and Textiles in Post-War Italy, which was supported by the DHS Research Publication Grant.

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The DHS Research Publication Grant supported the inclusion of some colour images in my new book published by Bloomsbury based on my PhD thesis.

The book is first to examine the role played by textile manufacturing in the development of fashion in Italy. A New History of ‘Made in Italy’ investigates Italy’s transition from a country of dressmakers, tailors and small-scale couturiers in the early post-Second World War period to a major producer of ready-to-wear fashion in the 1980s. It takes the reader from Italy’s first internationally-attended fashion show in 1951 to Time magazine's Giorgio Armani April 1982 cover story, which signalled the fashion designer’s international arrival, and Milan’s presence as the capital of ready-to-wear.

By looking at how things are made, by whom, and where, this book seeks to unpack the ‘Made in Italy’ label through a focus on making. Informed by extensive archival materials retrieved from a wide range of sources, it brings together the often-separated disciplines of fashion, textile and design history.

The inclusion of colour images made it possible to appreciate details that otherwise would have been lost in the black and white version. These vibrant images are key to showcase the vital role played by textiles manufacturing in the development of Italian Fashion and have been appreciated by readers and reviewers of the manuscript.

Since its first publication in hardcover in February 2023, the book has received very positive reviews in publication such as the Journal of Design History, Fashion, Style and Popular Culture and Zone Moda Journal and has been shortlisted for the Association of Dress historians Book of the year award.

Since November 2024 the book is also available in paperback edition with colour images thanks to the support of DHS.

Follow Lucia:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dr-lucia-savi-5991b659/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/savi...