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MODA. Made in Italy

Start Date  20 June 2013
End Date 08 February 2014
Venue Modemuseum
Location Hasselt, Belgium
Curator Kenneth Ramaekers
Designer MASSarchitects Massimo Pignanelli
Design: Brusatto
Research: Eve Demoen
Exhibition display of dressed mannequins

From summer 2013, MMH presented an exhibition on Italian fashion, ‘Moda. Made in Italy ‘. On the basis of eleven themes, visitors were guided through the extraordinary and complex history of Italian fashion.

Hasselt has a special bond with Italy. The first Italian immigrants came en masse to Limburg in the 1950s to work in the coal mines and they stayed there. They brought the Italian flair and elegance with them, it is unthinkable to go shopping in jogging clothes in Hasselt, the women are always ‘dressed up’, wear jewelery and look pristine.

The exhibition in the Fashion Museum gave an overview of Italian fashion from after the Second World War until today. After the war, thanks to the Marshall Plan, the reconstruction focused heavily on the fashion and textile sector. What had previously been a flourishing textile industry now gained momentum; fashion became a very successful export product, with America as its most important customer.

The first catwalk shows in the 1950s and the film production – including ‘Roman Holiday’ (1953) with the beautiful Audrey Hepburn on her Vespa – were decisive for the success that has been perpetuated to this day. Prada, for example, is one of the few companies in the fashion world that sees its profits increase year after year, just like Armani and Versace.

Italy still stands for craftsmanship and elegance today. Ready-to-wear, knitwear, handbags, shoes, leather goods and fabrics remain fixed values ​​in the global top. Tradition remains important but Italy is also a country of innovation and technological progress.

The expo features creations by Prada, MiuMiu, Emilio Schuberth, Gattinoni, Missoni, Marni, Prada, Armani, Vercase, Gucci, Fendi, Pucci, Dolce & Gabbana, Laura Biagotti, Roberto Cavalli, Brioni, Gianfranco Ferré, Borsalino, Ken Scott, Max Mara, Valentino, Moschino and many others and is structured into eleven clearly defined themes including fabrics, knitwear and casual wear, extravaganza and glamor, Milan, film, the art of tailoring, leather / fetish, l’altra moda and so on.

Together with the exhibition, publishing house Lannoo also published a beautiful book by the same name, ‘Moda. Made in Italy ‘, a historical look at Italian fashion with attention to big names such as Armani, Versace, Gucci, Prada, Dolce & Gabbana and many others. Profusely illustrated with unique archive material.

Curator: Kenneth Ramaekers

Research: Eve Demoen

Scenography: MASSarchitects Massimo Pignanelli

Design: Brusatto

With thanks to:

MMH Team

Friends of the Fashion Museum

City of Hasselt

Province of Limburg

Francis Chiara

Paul Schreurs (Nipau, House Vanstraelen, Hasselt)

Enrico Quinto & Paolo Tiranelli

Laura Nobile

Quinto-Tiranelli Fashion Collection

Rome (Enrico Quinto)

Fondazione Tirelli-Trapetti, Rome

Fondazione Micol Fontana, Rome

Museo Salvatore Ferragamo

Museo Gucci

Gemeentemuseum The Hague

Museum of Costume and Lace Brussels

Image courtesy of Modemuseum, Hasselt, Belgium.