Fashion and the city of Florence are synonymous. Though some might consider Milan the capital of Italian fashion, Florence is its real heart, where the textile industry has played a major role in the shaping of this city like no other. Since the era of the powerful Medieval trade guilds, the manipulation of natural fibers into wearable objects has represented a mainstay in the local culture. Today, fashion giants such as Gucci and Roberto Cavalli call Florence home but the city also hosts scores of small, independent designers, manufacturers and artisans who are intent on preserving the Florentine tradition of exquisite handmade clothes and accessories. Due to the increasing reliance on imported materials, some of these same artisans have taken the conscientious decision to utilize only local and sustainable fibers in their creations, thus creating a direct link between their products and the Tuscan landscape which nurtures them. During the course of this event, we will visit one such clothing producer, Old Fashion, who adheres to this ideal; exploring the link between the Tuscan land and its various fruits.
During the time spent at Old Fashion, we will learn about the importance that they and their fellow artisans place on “giving back to the land”- using the fertility of the surrounding countryside in order to create objects of great beauty and unbeatable quality. We’ll also have some hands-on experience with some of the most interesting materials; under the guidance of a clothing designer we will examine and experiment with what makes these fibers so precious and the impressive clothing from which they can be created. After the presentation, we will retire to the workshop’s courtyard to take part in a later afternoon aperitif- of strictly Tuscan products, of course!
Context has organized this event in conjunction with Tessile e Sostenibilita’, a government-funded research organization which promotes the use of traditional materials within Florence’s vital and historic textile industry. Locally grown and unmodified wool, cotton, linen and hemp provide sustainable alternatives to mass-produced and synthetic materials and create physical and emotional bonds between the growers, producers and wearers of these materials with the Tuscan landscape. As Tessile e Sostenibilita’ declare in their mission statement, “The project gives textile manufacturing a more human dimension through the valorization of creativity and the relationship with the environment…The use of [sustainable] textile products represents an investment for the future.”
This event will be taking place on Thursday, September 18th at 3PM.
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